With Time
by RT4ever
Summary: With time we change and we grow. Some parts for the better some parts for the worse, but we are never static as long as there is time. For Daniel Grayson, he gets a little more time with this story.
1. Chapter 1

AN: So I had this thought in my head since the elevator. I'm pretty sure every person who ever liked Emily and Daniel had some thought about them during and after that scene. Once the characters animosity of each other wasn't the main focus of a scene we got to see that positive chemistry again. I had this idea for a little ficlet (aka one shot) in my head and it stayed in my head even as they were leading us to Daniel's death. This works with the majority of the last episode, just imagine him a few seconds slower. Distracting Kate with his arrival at the door, falling back with a bullet wound on the porch, buying Emily a few more minutes in agony on the floor as Kate went after Daniel, only to be stopped by Jack.

I failed at making it a one-shot, but the story isn't fully fleshed out. It is more composed of brief scenes between Daniel and Emily. They will jump in time and occasionally have others others in them, but hopefully they won't be confusing. My tenses refused to behave in the first scene, I like past, they really wanted to be present. They eventually followed my leave, but for some reason the first part doesn't seem right without them being in the present tense so I left them. Sorry to all that will bug. You can stop now before you go on. :-P

Thanks for reading and if you make it to the end give a little review so I can finish parts 2 and 3.

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><p>With Time<p>

It's late as Emily heads to the front door. Exhausted at the thought of another late night arrival. The past few weeks haven't exactly left her comfortable with the thought of unexpected visitors. She's already stowed a gun in her sling, a weapon hasn't been out of her reach since Nolan joined her in the emergency room. She's uncomfortable at the thought of being without one ever again.

She sighs as she opens the door for Daniel, "Not tonight Daniel." The idea of fighting anyone, anyhow, is a level of debilitation she can't fathom after two decades of battling the world.

"Don't worry dear, I'm not really in the mood either." The sling on his right arm is a mirror image of hers. Hers isn't needed, she can handle the pain from the dislocation, but it's a handy place to hide a gun and she has a better chance of one upping her enemy if they think she's weak.

His smug attitude is almost reassuring. It's either that or the fact that she is pretty sure he won't be trying to kill her, again, since he just tried to save her. She doesn't want to think about that though and almost instantly the unease returns. "It's late. What do you want Daniel?"

"Well Margaux just took a flight to Paris, my business is a bust again, you and my mother are trying to destroy each other and you're living in my house while I'm living in a hotel I can't afford."

She suddenly notices the bag by his feet, another clue that she was done. Rats eventually die from stress when they are shocked at random intervals without anyone to fight. She had kept herself alive by fighting others. "No way in Hell."

"Now now Amanda, I did just save your life," he picks up the overpriced duffel and walks through the doorway, the sling on her arm now a deficit as she debates exposing the gun she has stashed.

"I told you to run, I don't owe you any favors."

"I know that feeling, kind of like keeping the fact that you're Amanda Clarke to myself." His bag drops by the stairs.

"You shot me and left me to die in the water."

"Which you blamed on Lydia and considering your decades long obsession with my family. I've got to say, I don't think police are going to take you on your word if you suddenly blame that on me."

Emily forces herself to take a breath as he heads further into her house, leaving her with no choice, but to follow him, since avoidance has never been an option. "How much do you want?"

"Well for starters the cost of that little party last year."

"Fine, I'll have it set up tomorrow."

"Sounds wonderful dear." He frowns at the empty ice bucket at the bar. "Where's the staff?"

"I don't have them here all the time."

"You mean you can't risk having them here all the time." Daniel poured the Scotch into the tumbler despite the lack of ice.

"Do you need money now? I'll call the hotel-" Emily pulled the cell out of her back pocket.

"You can call them, but the only place I'm going is upstairs to bed."

"You're not staying here."

"I know you don't really get normal human interactions, but that bag I carried in implies otherwise."

"I agreed to give you the money."

"And I appreciate that."

"What do you want?" The fight within her was rising.

"Can you give me back those three years?"

"I can increase the likelihood of you surviving the next three if you leave. Aren't you supposed to be fighting for Margaux? Isn't she pregnant?" Just saying the words left a bitter taste in her mouth. He would have a child while he had made it so she never would. "It's been three days. How badly could you have fucked it up this time?"

His lips quickly lifted in a bittersweet smile. "Margaux wants the boy I was. You know who I am?" Daniel lifted his glass to her, "I'm the guy who shot his wife on their wedding day."

"Do you want me to say that we're even?" Emily shook her head in disbelief and annoyance.

"I can't take back all the things that I've done. I can't erase the things I know I'm capable of. Margaux deserves better than the lie."

"Daniel," she attempted to soften her voice.

"I get it Amanda. I get everything that you did," he took a sip. "Hell I've got to be honest, I'm even impressed by it."

"What do you want?"

"Things you can't give me. I'll settle for you using you like you used me. A means to an end. I need to build my life back up and you're the stepping stone to doing it."

"And I'm going to agree to that why?"

"Think of how crazy it will drive my mother having us back together," he gave her another smile.

"Your mother is the reason we're both having problems pulling our pants on in the morning," she shot back at him.

"Another benefit to us living together. If-"

"Daniel!" Emily snapped.

"If I'm living here my mother is a hell of a lot less likely to send killers after you." The accusations had started the moments their parents rushed to them. Daniel hadn't been at all surprised to hear her accuse his mother, shamed, but not surprised.

"This isn't your fight."

He let out a brief laugh, "You made me part of this the moment you decided to use me to go after my parents. Only now I know the details and I'm choosing the winning side."

"So you're here because you think I'm going to win? I-" Emily was about to promise to not go after him.

"I think you should win. So why not help each other?" He shrugged.

"I think the alcohol has finally rotted your brain."

"Amanda-"

"Will you stop calling me that!"

"I've had it with the lies!"

"You want to move back in!"

"This is the means to an end. I get my life back, you get Victoria out of yours. I need some small modicum of truth in my life so I might still be able to recognize it when this is all over," he turned away and went to pour another drink. "I called Charlotte, I called my sister-our sister in rehab to see if she tried to kill you." He had watched his mother smoothly transfer the guilt of the incident onto Charlotte, tears in her eyes as she told David she was worried that this would happen once more, how Charlotte had tried to kill Emily in the fire.

"You shouldn't have involved her," Emily's eyes grew wide in anger. "She-"

"Give me some credit. I called to let her know I was fine."

"You cannot let your mother know where Charlotte-"

"Why would I ever-"

The doorbell rang.

"Who the hell is it now?" Emily cursed as she turned out of the room. She forced a facade of composure on her face as she opened it for Ben. "Ben," she smiled.

"I just wanted to come by and check on you. Jack-"

"Southampton PD really earns their paycheck don't they?" Daniel walks into the foyer.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had company-"

"I'm not company," Daniel walks over, "I moved back in today."

"I-"

"I'm like you, I'm not okay with Emily being out here on her own. In fact, I'm not sure I'll be letting her out of my sight anytime soon."

"Is this what you want Emily?" Ben looking at her in confusion.

"The other night was a wake up call for Daniel and I."

"I thought I was going to lose her," Daniel wrapped his left arm around her.

"And I thought she was going to put a bullet through your head," Emily's eyes were wide as she smiled at him.

"And no one gets to do that except for Emily. So take three. Third time's a charm, right?" He pulled her a little closer.

"Okay, so if you're sure you're okay. I can still take a quick walk around-"

"We're fine, but thank you for stopping by. You might want to tell your partner I'm living here again as well."

"Thank you so much Ben."

"Night," Ben nodded as he turned around.

"What is he Dudley Do Right?" Daniel's arm disengaged the moment the door shut before Emily had a chance to shake him off.

"That is what a nice guy looks like."

"Or a gold digger trying to get in the wealthy socialite's pants."

Emily took a breath, "I'm going to bed."

"I'm going in search of ice."

"Oh by the way Daniel," Emily pauses on the stairs looking down at her ex husband. "Since we're doing this whole honesty thing, you're an alcoholic."

"I wouldn't have survived this long if I wasn't," he said lifting his glass in the air in a cheers as he walked towards the kitchen.

-o-o-o-

"So if everything hadn't happened how it happened you would have been my sister."

Daniel is up annoyingly early the next day, drinking a cup of coffee and studying her as she reads the paper. She focuses her breathing and refuses to react. She almost wished that she had kept the sling on, so it wouldn't quite be so easy to react.

"That would have been really awkward."

She remains silent.

"I'm not entirely sure this revenge plot against everyone is justified. You didn't have to grow up with my mom as a mother. You would probably be even scarier. She probably did you a favor."

-o-o-o-

There is no greeting as Daniel picks up his phone, "Daniel why is your car at Emily's and why has it been there all night according to David?"

"Probably because I spent the night here."

"And why did you do that?"

"I am a grown man Mother and that is absolutely none of your business. Enjoy the rest of your day."

Daniel picked up his spoon once more and returned to eating the cereal Emily had made prepared for after the guilt of watching him try to pour cereal had been too much for her that and she would have had to clean up his mess.

"Your mother?"

"Our parents are checking up on us. They'll probably be up here soon."

Emily picked the newspaper back up.

"You would have been my sister-wife."

"No I wouldn't have." Emily refused to make eye contact.

"Yea your dad would have probably killed me before that happened."

"Don't think he would have beat me to it."

-o-o-o-

"I thought you weren't going to have contact with me?" Emily spoke to her father after exchanging fake greetings with Victoria.

"I think it's completely understandable as to why David would accompany me to see my son. So what exactly is going on here?"

"I moved back in last night."

"You what?!" Victoria couldn't hide the shrill tone in her voice.

It caused David's head to sharply turn towards her, "Victoria."

"I'm sorry, David, but you were not around before. This has ended badly, twice."

"Someone tried to kill Amanda four days ago. I don't think it's the best thing for her to be living in this house unprotected."

Emily watched Victoria's swallow over the use of her real name. "Amanda," emphasis was placed upon her name, "is more than capable of looking after herself."

"The other night-"

"The other night you were shot and would have been killed if Jack Porter hadn't rescued you both. Perhaps we should see if he would like to move in."

"Jack is not moving into this house," Daniel's gaze on his mother grew serious.

"What am I missing about Jack?" David looked on in confusion.

"Nothing," Daniel and Amanda snapped in unison.

Victoria smiled.

"Look at it this way Mother. I might not be much help in a fight, but if they're busy killing me, it'll give Amanda a chance to get away."

David nodded after a moment in agreement.

"That is not funny," Victoria looked at her son with a solemn expression.

"Am I laughing?" Daniel asked her. "So let's just hope no one goes after her again."

"Daniel-"

"I am the only person in this town with a familial claim on Emily Thorne in this town, so until that changes I'm the one living here."

"So is anything going on between you two?" David questioned.

"Not at all," Emily answered her father.

"Then why did Margaux say you broke up with her?" Victoria inquired.

"I appreciate you trying to talk Margaux into believing that I was still that little boy deep down, but I haven't been in a very long time. I have done more things that have disgusted me in my life than good. That boy is gone."

"Oh Daniel, don't say that."

"I am going to try to be a decent man for my child, but I can't begin that with a lie to his mother." Before his mother could say anything else, Daniel turned to David, "I'm the one that shot Emily last year."

"You," David's eyes filled with rage.

"I was drunk and I found out that our entire life was a lie. The thing was even that was a lie. Emily was never even real. I loved her and she didn't exist. She was made up for me to love, so she could go after my family and if I knew that," Daniel nodded, "I probably would have helped her. But Amanda has a thing against people helping her, she told me to run the other night when someone was going to kill her. Plus side, she and Emily have that in common, so at least there was one truth in three years. So the thing is she gets my help now, even if she doesn't want it."

"We should go Victoria," David took her arm as she began to protest. "Watch her," he told Daniel.

"Daddy likes me," Daniel smirked at her as she shut the door after their parents.

"Your mother killed Aiden." Emily informed Daniel as she walked out of the room.

-o-o-o-

She found him in her room as she walked out from her shower, holding the picture Jack had given her. "What are you doing in my room?"

"Ouch," Daniel said noticing her exposed flesh. The plush white towel a stark contrast to her healing bruises.

"My room?"

"You and Jack make so much more sense now."

"Can you put that down?"

"How'd he take it? Finding out everything was a lie? He at least got a real kid out of it."

"Leave Jack-"

"Out of it? Too late for that. How did he take finding out that he waited two decades for you and then married the wrong girl?"

"She was the right girl. They loved each other, they had Carl."

"Trust me when I say this, but finding out the girl of your dreams, isn't at all her. Isn't made better by anything you tell yourself."

"Why are you in my room?" Emily pulled the towel tighter.

"Let's go to the club, get dinner. Be seen together."

"Fine," she shook her head.

-o-o-o-

"I should warn you," Daniel said as they walked into the club together, "we're pretty sure Louise tried to kill Margaux so she could have me."

"Someone was willing to kill to get you? What would she get out of that?"

"My mother."

"So she's certifiable."

"I would avoid steam rooms and dark alleys."

"Well if it isn't the Hamptons own Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton," Nolan said approaching them. She had called Nolan last night after retreating to her room.

"Hardly," Emily rolled her eyes and accepted Nolan's kiss on her cheek.

"Daniel," Nolan said taking his hand, "I wish I could say I was glad to see you. Remind me again what the definition of insanity is? Oh that's right doing the same thing over and over and expecting it to go differently."

"Good to see you too Nolan," Daniel smirked.

"Danny," Louise smiled as she walking over, "I just had to come over and say hi. Lovely to see you again Emily."

"You too."

"And how are you both feeling? I heard about that awful ordeal the other night."

"I'm sore and scratchy, but I'll live. Em is a walking bruise."

"I thought you were fine?" Nolan gave her an annoyed look.

"I am," she confirmed.

"She went off a balcony," Daniel pointed out.

"Why is he here still?" Nolan questioned.

"He thinks I need a babysitter," Emily's head tilted to the side and she gave perturbed smile.

"Danny are you somewhere you aren't wanted?" Louise southern drawl teased.

"I didn't want to get married. Fair's fair."

"You did ask me twice," Emily gave him an obnoxious smile.

"Don't worry folks, I promise it won't be happening a third time. Now if you don't mind," Daniel's hand went to Emily's waist and they said their goodbyes.

"This is never going to work," Emily's voice was soft as they walked past a sea of faces trying to not obviously stare.

"It already is. I am an idiot and you are gorgeous. This happens at least three times a season in the Hamptons. You are also filthy rich."

"So is Louise."

"I've survived you twice, I can handle a third time. The whole mother thing," Daniel shuddered.

Emily laughed softly.

"They believe us already," he said with a smile leaning into her. "Thank you," Daniel said as the arrived at their table.

As they settled into their seats and were left alone with their menus, she once more asked, "Why did you come in after me?"

"You're going to have to buy me a drink first sweetheart."

-o-o-o-

"Are you ignoring my phone calls for a reason?" Jack asked as Emily finally picked up.

"I was at dinner, it would have been rude."

"With Daniel Grayson."

"I was."

"Ben said you're living with him again. Nolan's hasn't been returning my texts."

"He's busy with the club."

"No he doesn't want to lie for you."

"Jack," Emily sighed and paused in taking off her earrings.

"What's going on?"

"I honestly have no idea. I think Daniel is having a midlife crisis or something."

"He's younger than me."

"I don't know Margaux is pregnant and the next thing I know he's rushing into my house trying to save me."

"Yea I heard she left."

"I think Daniel told her to leave."

"So you just let him move back in?"

"He threatened to out me as Amanda Clarke."

"There has to be more to this than that."

Emily sighed and sat on the side of her bed, "Nothing that I believe."

"What did he say?"

"A lot of BS. Like Victoria will be less likely to send people after me to kill me if he's here."

"That's probably true."

"But why would he do that?!" Emily's voice lifted in frustration.

"He didn't tell you anything else?"

"Something about being on the winning side for once, that I deserve to win and not Victoria. It was a lot of BS. He's after something and I don't know what." Emily sighed again. "Look Jack, I've had a long day."

"Okay. Goodnight. Be careful Emily."

"Of course. Night."

-o-o-o-

He calls her Amanda constantly.

It's slowly driving her insane.

She hasn't been Amanda in so long.

When her father says it, it's like a warm memory.

When Daniel says it, it's a reminder of all she's done.

Emily was a shell. A hard, thick shell. Things slid off it, barely cracked the surface.

Amanda is that broken child before Nolan.

That sweet child before her father was taken away from her.

Amanda was never supposed to be who she has become.

Hearing it constantly is making Emily think about that girl, truly think about her.

Imagine that she would have grown up in Southampton, married Jack far too young and set out on adventures with him.

She could have done that anyhow. She could have come back with the money Nolan gave her and whisked Jack away. He would have gone. Amanda would still be alive. Declan would still be alive. Aiden...

Her father would be alive anyway.

She wonders what different choices she would have made if she had known that. If she could have let him fight his own battles and focused on finding peace in her life instead of revenge.

When Jack stops by with Carl, she sits with him for an hour as he sleeps in her arms.

She wonders why she hadn't chosen love over revenge. She wonders what that says about her.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for the reviews guys! So yea they are definitely not a sappy pair in this story, they weren't ever on the show, why start now? I definitely don't love them because they're a soft and easy couple.

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><p>"Amanda," Daniel goes to open her bedroom door to find it locked.<p>

"What?" Emily calls out from behind the closed doors.

"Can you look at my arm for me?"

Irritation passes over her face, but she can't not open the door. "Why don't you have clothing on?" The sight of Daniel in his boxers was too familiar.

"Seriously we lived together. I was going to shower. Can you just look at my arm?"

He annoyed her with every word he spoke, she took a breath,"Why can't you look at it?"

"Because I touch it and it hurts and I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy that."

His skin was looking a little pink just past the tape. "You might want to hold onto the door for this."

Daniel bit back the groan as she peeled off the gauze.

"How long has it looked like this?" Emily gave him an accusing look.

Daniel was breathing heavily as he answered, "Looked a little weird yesterday. I figured it was from the shower."

"Get dressed," she shook her head. "That needs to be opened up and cleaned."

"You're not going to do that, right?" Daniel was looking a little green at the thought.

"I'm calling your doctor."

-o-o-o-

Daniel had managed to get himself into a pair of sweatpants and flip flops, but that was the extent of his dressing by the time she reached his room. His bedding was in shambles and there was a fine sheen of sweat across his brow as he stood clutching his arm to his body.

She made sure to keep her steps slow, even though her heart rate had suddenly increased. She crossed the room and put her hand across his brow, "You have a fever."

"That explains why I feel so great this morning."

"Okay let's find something to get on you." She went to his closet and pulled out a linen short sleeve shirt.

"Oh come on, I like that one."

"I'll buy you a new one," she told him as she was halfway through with unbuttoning it. He was groaning seconds later as he was forced to move his infected arm to put it on.

"You should have run," she told him as they were unnaturally close as she dressed him.

"I'll be fine."

"You didn't know that."

"That would have been a hero's death, never gonna happen."

"Daniel," her head shook at him, she could almost feel the tears reaching her eyes."

"Manda, I'm fine. Just need some antibiotics."

"Come on we're going to meet Kevin at the ER." Kevin Elridge, Daniel's primary who spent the majority of the summer out in the Hamptons. Their paths had crossed several times at the club.

-o-o-o-

"Ma'am Dr. Elridge will be in as soon as he's in. I can't-"

"Emily!" Jack called out her name and she turned away from desk. "What's wrong?" He and Ben approached her in their uniforms.

"Daniel's arm is infected and his doctor should have been here a half hour ago and now he isn't even picking up his phone."

Jack gave quick look into the waiting area. Daniel's head was back, an ice back on his forehead, his arm clutched to his chest.

"He was fine last night," Emily's head shook. Recalling Daniel lounging on the sofa the entire night, a book next to him that he barely looked at as he watched tv. "He was quiet last night. I should have realized," she took a harsh breath.

"Em, I'm-"

"Why didn't he run?" Her throat tightened as she looked at Jack instead of Daniel. She couldn't handle looking at Daniel, who seemed to be getting worse by the second. Her memory flashed to seeing Daniel just outside the door. Screaming at him to run watching him come forward instead. Him falling back as Kate shot him, watching Kate advance on her again, then seeing Daniel coming forward again. She had screamed at him once more to run and that had caused Kate to turn back as well as Emily struggled to move. Kate's gun was once more focused on Daniel as Jack had shot her.

"He's going to be fine," Jack said wrapping his arms around her. The fear still fresh in his mind that he wouldn't reach her fast enough. He wouldn't have if Kate hadn't been distracted by Daniel's arrival.

"Emily," Daniel's doctor finally arrived looking a bit frazzled, "I'm sorry there was traffic."

"Why didn't you pick up?"

"My phone was in my bag. Battery's low so my bluetooth didn't connect."

"He's a lot worse," Emily said walking towards Daniel with the doctor, Jack and Ben trailing behind. "Daniel, Kevin is here."

Daniel's eyes squinted under the harsh lighting of the ER.

"You are not looking too good," Kevin said taking the ice pack off Daniel's head that Emily had threatened bodily harm on one of the nurse's for.

"Not feeling too good," he then frowned noticing Jack and Ben, "like a party full of Dudley Do Rights."

"Come on, let's get you to a bed, you're burning up. Can you stand?" Kevin asked.

"Yea," Daniel nodded slowly, but his body was not as compliant as his will.

"Come on," Jack said helping him up. "Lead the way," he nodded at the doctor.

-o-o-o-

The doctor didn't even take five minutes examining him before telling Emily he was admitting Daniel. He had an IV bag pumping antibiotics in Daniel before a wheelchair reached them to move Daniel upstairs.

She sat by his side for hours as he slept. The doctor had opened the sutures and cleared out the visible infection and Daniel hadn't woken up since.

"Em," the murmur was a welcome relief.

"I'm here," she said taking his hand.

"I feel like shit," his eyes barely opened.

She laughed softly, "Yea you're supposed to. You're on some pretty strong drugs."

"Mmmm," was the last thing he said as he fell back asleep.

Jack came back after his shift with coffee and food.

"Thank you," Emily took an appreciative sip of the coffee.

"What did the doctor say?"

"Mild sepsis, he thinks Daniel will be fine. That we got here fast enough. I can't believe he didn't tell me last night that he wasn't feeling well. If Charlotte loses Daniel-" Emily's head shook.

"Don't think like that," Jack pulled her into his arms again.

"If I had just known my dad was alive," Emily whispered, "I swear I wouldn't have-"

"Well isn't this cozy," Victoria announced her presence in the hospital hallway.

-o-o-o-

"What the hell is this Daniel?"

His eyes were blurry as she awoke him from sleep, "What?" He awoke in her bed, where she had brought him after his release from the hospital.

"This Daniel," Emily waved the piece of paper, "we write our own endings?"

"An old letter to my father. I chose my path long before you. I chose to be the villain."

"That doesn't sound like what you're choosing."

"That sadly doesn't mean it isn't what I chose. It's a lot easier to be the bad guy than the good."

"What are you doing?" Emily sighed.

"I'm choosing differently. I'm choosing the side of the girl who had her life destroyed because of people with money and power."

"I don't need your help."

"Doesn't mean I don't need to give it. My family has only done terrible things. That can't be the legacy I leave for my child."

"I don't need you to be my hero Daniel."

He pushed himself up on his good arm, "Don't worry that seems pretty unlikely. I can't let my mom get away with killing you."

"I can handle myself. What was that running towards the house was last week?"

"I don't know. I think I forgot how much I hated you. Don't worry because I do. You use people. Maybe people wouldn't be as bad as they are if you didn't push them to it."

"If that's what you need to tell yourself Daniel."

"Let's go to the club tomorrow. Lie on a lounge chair and look amazing in our bathing suits."

"You just got out of the hospital," Emily reminded him.

"So did you." She hadn't left his side for 36 hours. "The perfect time to show people that recent events have brought us back together. Nothing like being worried someone is going to die to make you realize how much you still care about them."

"No one's going to believe this."

"You lied to me for 3 years. I've lied to them my whole life. They'll believe it."

"Don't do this," Emily almost felt like pleading with him. She couldn't handle losing anyone else to this, even if it was Daniel. Charlotte would never recover if she lost Daniel as well.

"Walk away, I'll have no choice, but to do the same."

"I can't do that."

"So we know what we're doing and both of us are in on it this time."

-o-o-o-

"We are not sharing a room," Emily's arms crossed as Daniel informed her over breakfast the next morning.

"We are and we are getting a staff back in this house."

"This is my house."

"But this is our charade, how did you pull it off the first time? By only acting like you were with me when we were in public?"

"No because I had to fool you as well."

"And now you have to fool my mother, who is a lot smarter than me. We're getting a staff and that staff will talk because no matter how much you pay them, they always talk."

"Why?"

"Because people need to believe this is real."

"Dan-"

"I need Margaux and my mother to believe this is real."

"You want Margaux to stay away so she doesn't get hurt."

"Can you blame me?"

"No," Emily admitted.

"Amanda, the honest to god last thing I want to do is sleep with you. You used me, you manipulated my life, you lied to me worse than my parents ever did. You hurt Charlotte worse than they ever did. She needs us to figure out how to make this work, she needs us as her family. She needs you alive long enough to get over what you did. Now can you please just go get changed?"

-o-o-o-

It amazed Amanda how quickly Daniel was able to switch on the old Daniel Grayson, the one that had loved and adored her. The one that walked into the club with a smile, nodding hellos to people as he kept a hand on her back. Stopping occasionally for some polite chit chat, joking with a few that while yes maybe they were giving it a third try that he would not be proposing a third time and if she wanted to be Mrs. Grayson again she'd have to get him drunk in Vegas. She had laughed that she was much happier with the name Thorne than Grayson and that he'd be getting her drunk in Vegas so he could change his name.

"Daniel, no," Emily smiled at him as he pulled her to a double lounger.

"I reserved it last night. Come on, I'm hurt," he pouted.

She laughed, "Which is exactly why this is not a good idea?"

"Oh no, it's a good idea, it might not be a smart idea, but it's a good idea. I don't want to let you out of my sight."

She shook her head at him as he dropped onto the lounger. They hadn't even stopped at her cabana to drop off her things and do the normal things like apply sunblock. He was making the entire event a show.

"Off with it," he motioned with his fingers at her sundress, "Or do you need some help," he started to stand.

She gently pushed him back down, "Don't make me hurt you." She laughed and tugged the white coverup off. She wore a gray and white color block on piece.

Daniel's expression changed suddenly. His eyes focused on her stomach, his hand unconsciously reached out. She took it before anyone else noticed.

"You like?"

"I love," he threw off his previous thoughts. "I think you need some help with your sunblock," he stood.

She laughed again, "Where's a cabana boy when you need one?"

A young man approached, "Ms. Thorne?"

"Trust me, young man, I've got this," Daniel nodded at the teenager.

"My name is Peter, I'll be serving you today. Can I get either of you anything?"

"I would love a mojito," she smiled at him.

"That sounds," Daniel noticed Emily's expression, "wonderful if I was allowed alcohol. A club soda with mint, so I can pretend?"

She laughed again, "You can smell mine."

"Thank you."

"I'll be right back," Peter nodded.

"Okay we need to get you out of this shirt," Emily turned her focus onto the white linen shirt he wore. "Prepare yourself," she told him as she went to unclip his sling. He flinched a few times during the activity and sighed when it was over.

"The drugs are not strong enough."

"He had to dig around to get rid of the infection."

"I don't understand how it hurts worse than being shot."

"Yea well should have listened to me."

"Running is not an option."

She wasn't expecting his hand in her hair as they were so close or as his lips came over hers. It was part of the game, but it wasn't supposed to feel familiar or reassuring even.

"You're stuck with me."

She forced herself to laugh and playfully pushed him away, "Sunblock."

-o-o-o-

"Well isn't this cozy," Louise's drawl brought them both back to wakefulness.

Emily had done several laps in the pool, then played into the role of a newly reunited couple and curled into Daniel's side on the lounge chair. She hadn't expected to fall asleep, Daniel at least had the drugs to blame.

"Mmm," Emily said stretching, "it surprisingly is. When did we get an umbrella?"

"When I realized we were going to have horrible tan lines."

Emily laughed and pushed herself up, "That hospital chair contraption is not apparently restful. How are you today Louise? What have you and Nolan been up to?"

"Just entertaining the masses. Speaking of entertaining, you two have been the talk of the town since your dinner the other night."

"Em and I have always been good for the gossips."

"They're laying bets on when you two will get engaged again. You would be amazed at the amount of people who put money on Labor Day."

"Oh we are never getting engaged again. I think the engagement has been our downfall."

"Really, I thought it was my family?" Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Definitely the first time," Emily nodded in agreement.

"Well I'll just let you two get back to your nap. We'll have to do lunch sometime Emily."

"Definitely," Emily smiled.

"Bye Louise," Daniel smiled.

"Bye Danny, Emily."

"Why are you smiling like that?" Emily asked as she noticed the shit eating grin on Daniel's face.

"She has no idea what she's in for."

"I wouldn't be too sure Danny, I might just gift wrap you and let Louise have at it."

-o-o-o-

"I still can't believe you bought UNO," Daniel said as he was stuck picking up a dozen cards in a futile attempt to get a blue or a six.

"Well you can't exactly do anything water related."

"Charlotte and I used to spend hours playing this."

"You told me, right before you talked me into Kiss Uno."

Daniel gave her a look.

"No way in hell."

He laughed and leaned forward to give her a small kiss.

"Still not happening Daniel," Emily laughed against his lips.

"Come on," he murmured against her lips.

"Well isn't this a lovely surprise."

Daniel and Emily shot apart at the sound of Margaux's voice.

"Margaux," Daniel's eyes were wide.

"So you do remember my name, was it just my phone number you lost?"

"I didn't think you wanted to hear from me."

"What I didn't want to hear is that you were in the hospital with sepsis from your mother or that you were here with Emily from Louise."

"I'm going to give you two some space," Emily said grabbing her coverup and phone.

"Oh no, please stay. I'd love to hear how this little reconciliation took place."

"Why don't we go somewhere a little more private?" Daniel said standing.

"No actually, I think from now on our communication should be done through lawyers." Margaux turned and left.

"Daniel are you an idiot go after her," Emily hissed at him as she grabbed his good arm.

"No that's what my mother wants."

"That is the mother of your child."

"Let's go back to the house."

-o-o-o-

"My mother's walking up," Daniel said as Emily walked out onto the balcony after finishing her shower.

"That didn't take her long."

"Margaux probably called her after seeing us," Daniel turned. "I'm going to shower. I can get this thing wet now, right?"

Emily nodded, "Yea it's been over 48 hours. Made yourself at home I see," Emily took a breath as she looked into her closet and saw his clothing. Not sure how he managed to move so much with one arm during the 20 minutes it had taken her to shower.

"Honey, I'm home and I'm here to stay," he smirked at her as he headed towards the bathroom.

-o-o-o-

"Well that took you long enough," Victoria was perturbed as Emily opened the door.

"Well considering you talked to Margaux, you know we were at the club and we had to shower and change. Unless we've reached that stage when I can answer the door in my towel."

"Where's Daniel?" Victoria walked into the house.

"Sure come on in," Emily resisted the urge to slam the door.

"Where's my son?"

"In the shower."

"What is this game you're playing at now?" Victoria turned on the attack.

"Victoria it's been a really long few days-"

"How did you talk him into this? Did he come to apologize for shooting you and that's how you crept back in again? You saw that he was having a weak moment because of the baby and you preyed upon it."

"Actually Mother," Daniel said walking down the stairs, "Amanda has only told me to go, or actually run since I found out about that. Run, walk away, leave...Pretty sure she's used all colloquialisms as well."

Victoria focused on her son, "Daniel your guilt over an incident that she created-"

"Amanda has done a lot of things, but I was the one holding that gun, let's give me a little credit, I'm not a total puppet." He paused for a moment and then gave a bitter smile, "Though is it any surprise I fell in love with Emily? They say men fall in love with women who remind them of their mother and you two are the best puppeteers around."

"You cannot possibly love her-" Victoria was incensed.

"I don't even know her!" Daniel shot back.

"Explain to me the reasoning behind this then," Victoria's hands gestured at the house around them.

"Someone tried to kill her! I am not going to leave her alone to die again! She is my family, she is Charlotte's sister, she is someone that you should have protected when she was eight years old!"

Victoria's mouth hung open as Daniel finished his attack, his breath was shallow with rage.

"I think it's time you go Victoria," Emily opened the door as Daniel walked out of the foyer.

"This isn't over," Victoria said as she turned.

"It never is," Emily responded.

Emily followed after him, knowing exactly what he was heading for, "Daniel, you can't drink-" she stopped him as the glass was being lifted up to his mouth.

"They're antibiotics, what's the worst that can happen?"

"You had sepsis, back in the hospital or worse."

"You know what I hate even more than the two of you?" Daniel said holding the glass. "That I was weak enough that I fell for it all." He put the glass down, "What I said about us being family is true, whether we like to admit it or not. You're Charlotte's sister and that's never going to change."

-o-o-o-

"Tell me something real about you." Daniel spoke softly in the darkness of her bedroom as they lay on opposite sides of the bed.

"Dan-"

"You know everything about me. Every horrible detail."

She was silent for a moment and then spoke, "Sammy was the best dog in the entire world. Sammy knew who I was. Jack didn't. My father didn't, but Sammy did."

"Jack really wasn't stalking you."

She laughed softly, "Sammy was just trying to come home."

"That's a really good dog."

"The best."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Taking tonight off from Revenge. Not ready for what they're about to do. Thanks for the reviews guys. I feel like it should be noted this fic is going a little longer than I intended. The end game for the story isn't changing, but it's got a little more filler in it than I expected. Thanks for reading and all of the great reviews! Hope you're still enjoying the fic.

* * *

><p>Daniel had spoken an awful truth to his mother. One she had always hated to admit and hadn't for a long time. Because of Charlotte they would always be family. They would always share a sister that had practically been destroyed by her family and wouldn't be able to survive much more.<p>

There was a tentative truce in the house after that night.

Her eventual acceptance that this was happening despite the fact that she didn't want his help.

He was convinced that his presence would prevent Victoria from going after her again. Emily wasn't, but she had to admit the thought being able to spend time with her father without suspicion and the increased likelihood Victoria would reveal her true self to David was tempting.

Not that Daniel gave her a say in the matter.

They had no choice, but to be allies when the enemy was Victoria.

-o-o-o-

"Do you enjoy these things at all?" Daniel asked as he watched Emily go through her closet as she was preparing for an event. They had been out a few times since the hospital, but for nothing as formal as this.

"Not particularly," she pulled out a dress.

"So let's go do something else."

"I already said we were going."

"They just care about your check."

Emily turned and sighed, "You're the one that wants everyone to think we're back together."

"I feel like doing something we both actually enjoy might do that."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"I got a message from someone I went to school with. He and his wife just got a place out in Easthampton."

"You want to slum it?" Emily's eyebrows lifted.

"Stowaway isn't around, Easthampton seems like the next logical choice."

"So is this actually a friend?" Emily tilted her head.

"I do have friends."

"You have business acquaintances, drinking buddies, golf-"

"Okay between you and Tyler can you blame me if I have trust issues?"

Emily paused for a moment, "Fair enough."

"So come on, put that away. Do you still have jeans somewhere in there? We used to wear them right?"

She laughed.

-o-o-o-

"Holy shit," Mark said as he viewed Daniel walk into the relatively crowded party. The tall blonde had his arms up for a bro hug as he crossed the room, "Aren't you-"

"His ex wife?"

"Yea I thought you looked familiar," Mark said from Daniel's side. "Surprisingly more attractive in person."

"Em's ridiculously hot, let's be honest. There's a reason we've been engaged twice."

"It's not my warm and fuzzy nature?" She tilted her head then let out a smile.

Daniel laughed, "Thanks for inviting us. It's like we're under a microscope back in Southampton."

"Daniel didn't want to put on a suit tonight," Emily corrected.

"You won't let me mix alcohol with my meds." Daniel smiled at her. His skin was once more a healthy tan, the sling was gone, the stitches hidden by gauze were the only evidence of how close he had come to death twice in the past few weeks.

"What was that a home invasion?" Mark questioned.

Daniel fielded the question, "All we've heard so far is that she was a dirty agent, they think she was going after Em's friend's dad who is living in our old place."

"At least you got to play the hero and rescue the damsel in distress." His friend countered with a hand towards Emily.

"Actually, I just got shot and one of Em's friend's who's a cop saved her."

"And you," Emily added.

"And me," Daniel wryly nodded.

"But he took a bullet for you," Mark nodded at Emily.

"He did," she wrapped her arms around his side, "he's an idiot like that."

"The thanks I get," Daniel nodded.

"Come, socialize. Let me find Becca. Can you drive?" Mark asked Daniel.

He gave him a look.

"Great so kitchen is through there. There is an obnoxious amount of alcohol," Mark nodded at Emily.

"We brought more to add to that," she lifted the two bags that they had stopped at the liquor store for.

"I like you already."

-o-o-o-

"This is intense," Daniel said as he and Emily headed out to the vacant small backyard, continuing on to the fire pit.

She laughed slightly.

"Is this really what we were doing three years ago?"

"The houses were bigger."

"They're our age and they have roommates and mortgages." Daniel sat in a plastic Adirondack chair.

"You mean normal lives?"

"I don't even know how to fake this type of normal."

"You're doing fine," Emily followed that up with a quarter of the bottle of beer.

"This would have been the type of life you'd had if your dad hadn't gone away."

"Maybe," she nodded.

"What did you want to be when you grew up?"

She gave him a look.

"Come on you know these things about me."

"I don't know. I was eight."

"Come on," he nudged her along.

"I don't know. A teacher, a vet, a marine biologist."

"Did you know what that was at 8?"

"We used to go to the aquarium a lot."

Daniel laughed.

"The last thing I wanted to do before my dad went away was to grow up and marry Jack. We probably would have bred puppies and I would have kept them all until I became the crazy dog lady of Southampton and Jack would have left me."

He laughed again.

"Em," Mark called out from the backdoor, "we're doing s'mores want me to bring you another beer?"

"Yes please."

"Danny, you want anything."

"Coke."

"Got it," the screen door slammed shut after him.

"Why don't you have more friends like him?"

"I went to college, pledged the same fraternity as my father-"

"And they were all like Conrad."

Daniel nodded, "Pretty much."

"You should slum it over here a little more."

He nodded again, "They're in Williamsburg. We should go, do Brooklyn Bowl, a Nets game, Smorgasburg."

"We did the Botanical Gardens."

"Yea let's not do that again. Actually we're not going to be doing that again because I'm no longer trying to sleep with you."

She laughed once more.

-o-o-o-

"I have marshmallow in my hair," Emily said the next morning as they lay in bed.

"I'm pretty sure it's still in my nose." Daniel rubbed his face, recalling the sticky burn of the failed feeding of the marshmallow Emily had roasted.

She laughed.

"It burned."

She laughed harder.

"Amanda Clarke is also a sadist, good to know. We needed that."

"We did. Thank you."

He rolled onto his left side to look at her. "Did I do something right in your eyes?"

"Don't get used to it, I'm sure it was a one time occurrence."

He laughed and rolled back, "Probably."

"I invited them all over to the house today," Emily nodded to herself.

"You did."

"We need supplies. I should shower."

"No," Daniel said shaking his head, "we're young. We're going to brush our teeth, go out with bed head, covered in marshmallow and be seen."

"You know you're not a hipster right?"

"You said I could be a hipster," he frowned at her recalling a discussion from the past.

"I lied a lot," Emily nodded, but grabbed her bathing suit out anyway. "Don't even think about trying it while we're doing this."

"So no beard?" Daniel ran a hand over his second day stubble.

"No!"

"Not a fan of beards, was that truth was that four or five?"

"Get ready," Emily headed towards the bathroom.

-o-o-o-

Music played, pool toys were inflated, mimosas flowed and everyone took a turn manning the grill. Emily found herself laughing for real, something she hadn't done much of since Aiden's death. It wasn't as hard to be around normal people as she expected after living a life so long built upon revenge where everyone she befriended served a purpose. She thinks she could have left with Aiden when he wanted to, she could have found peace. She does her best to stop plotting and thinking for the afternoon.

It's odd to see Daniel actually enjoying himself sober. It's odd to actually find herself enjoying spending time with him. To honestly laugh along with others at his jokes. It's familiar, from what seems like ages ago. 3 years and countless lives. Something so deep in their past, she almost didn't believe it had ever happened.

"She's a hustler!" Mark accused from behind his cornhole platform. "Never played my ass."

"My girl is good at everything," Daniel said with a smug smile and an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "It's really obnoxious unless you're on her team."

Her lips are up in a smile as he drops a soft kiss on them, her eyes widen and she stiffens as she sees Jack and Ben come from around the side in their uniforms.

"Oh shit," she hears muttered and she watches as a pipe is shoved under a towel.

Neither Jack nor Ben notice as their eyes are focused on her in the white one piece with cutouts that exposed more than most bikinis would, pressed against Daniel. "Jack, Ben," she doesn't separate from Daniel immediately, allows him to just shift them so they are side by side. "Is something wrong?"

"We tried calling," Jack nodded.

Emily frowned and recalled the last place she had seen her phone, separating from Daniel to go hunt for it under the towel she had tossed over it when she had noticed it getting hot in the sun. "Sorry," she smiled apologetically at them.

"We were concerned when you didn't pick up," Ben nodded.

"Well everyone," Daniel smiled, "this is Jack," he gestured, "who saved Emily and I the other week."

The small group let out a mixture of joyful responses from clapping, whistling to hollering.

Daniel continued, "And his partner Ben. Who Emily went out with the other week and no longer has a shot in hell with her."

Emily gave Daniel a look as everyone else tried to hide their laughter. "If that's what you need to tell yourself," she gave him a smirk as she walked towards her new guests, "Did you guys need me for something?"

Ben answered, "FBI is coming back tomorrow, a few follow up questions. We wanted to set up a time for you and Daniel to come in."

"What else can we possibly tell them?"

"What's going on?" Daniel asked as he draped his good arm around Emily's shoulders.

"FBI are coming back tomorrow."

"Did they finally figure who sent that lunatic after Em?"

"No they have more questions," Emily informed him.

"About?" His brow furrowed.

Emily shrugged and looked at Jack and Ben with waiting eyes.

"We are just passing along the message," was all Jack could offer.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and the name David Clarke was displayed for everyone to see. "Excuse me," she said lifting up a finger and walking away. "Hi," she said walking towards the house.

"Are you okay?" Her father's voice was frantic.

"Yea, I'm fine, why?"

"There's a police car in front of your house."

"Just Jack and Ben. I didn't hear my phone when they called and they were worried. Daniel and I are fine, thanks for checking in on us."

"You need to keep your phone on you. Last time-"

"Uh huh."

"I love you, Amanda."

"Same here. Bye." She smiled over at the 3 men standing together, "David saw the cruiser. Guess everyone's on high alert."

"I can't believe you're having a party and didn't invite me," Nolan said walking out of the house.

"Join the party Nolan," Daniel sighed and walked away, "you always do."

-o-o-o-

"Did you ever sleep with Jack?" Daniel asked as he drove towards the bar they were meeting Jack at.

"None of your business," Amanda looked out at the darkening sky wondering how exactly she had let the school teacher and the grad student talk her into going out with Ben and Jack that night.

"You know we were engaged right?"

"Sarah."

"Aiden. And I'm talking about the first time."

"Why does it matter Daniel?"

"Because I thought he was my friend."

"Fine no. We did not sleep together."

"He named his boat after you."

"He did," her eyebrows raised in aggravation.

"If I named a boat after you it would be a little more colorful than Amanda."

"Daniel if you didn't want to go tonight you could have said no."

"I'm driving there aren't I?"

"Then what is this? This whole thing was your idea."

"And what better way to prove to my mother that we're falling in love than to go hang out with your childhood love."

"Yea well you've both been lied to by me and you both hate me for it. Why don't you use that to rekindle your friendship?" Emily let out a loud sigh and turned up the radio.

-o-o-o-

"So how do you guys all know each other?" Madison, the perky redheaded 3rd grade teacher from Brooklyn questioned as they stood by the bar.

Daniel looked at Emily.

Emily smiled, "Jack was married to my best friend."

"You're divorced?"

"Windowed actually. I have a son, Carl-"

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I'm an idiot."

"No," Jack nodded, "actually I get that a lot. She was 28. You don't really think of people dying at 28."

"Oh my-"

"You know we should probably leave tragic family backgrounds in the background for tonight," Daniel interjected.

"That sounds like a great idea," Jack said raising his beer.

The girls let out relieved sighs.

-o-o-o-

"You and Daniel okay?" Ben asked as he grabbed the two fresh beers off the counter.

"Yea, just peachy," Emily smiled and accepted the offered beer.

"I get the feeling that none of your friends approve of your relationship with him."

"You mean Nolan and Jack?"

"You have a very limited group of friends."

"Friendships don't seem to work out well in the Hamptons."

"Relationships don't seem to work out well in the Hamptons," Ben corrected.

Emily smirked and tapped his beer bottle with her own.

-o-o-o-

"I'm sorry about the car," Daniel softly spoke pulling her back to him with a hand on her waist he sat on a stool by a small table watching the other four play pool.

"Whatever Daniel."

"I don't exactly have positive feelings where Porter's concerned. Can you look like you're forgiving me because Dudley Do Right has been watching us since we got here?"

Emily smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You're an asshole," she whispered.

"I love you too."

-o-o-o-

Daniel was leaning on the back of his car looking out onto the night sky as the door to the bar opened, he turned his head to the rush of music and noise escaping to see Jack walk out.

"We were wondering where you went."

"Charlotte," Daniel lifted his phone.

"How's she doing?"

"Better I think," Daniel shrugged, "I'm probably not one to judge."

"She was a good kid, hopefully she'll be able to get past all this."

Daniel let out a bitter laugh, "Is that possible?"

"Got to believe we can."

"Did I thank you for the other week?" Daniel looked over.

"Briefly," Jack nodded, "you and Emily were busy yelling at each other."

Daniel made a wry expression at the familiarity of that. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"While we're out here I want to apologize for being so angry at you for the whole Emily thing back in the day. I was furious because I had her first and you were supposed to be my friend, but that was never true. You even married her first," Daniel gave a brief shake of his head as he pushed away from his car.

-o-o-o-

They settled into life without as much difficulty as she would have thought. They were becoming the it couple of Southampton once more. They were wanted at every social event and people always sought them out at the club. Daniel spent them building up contacts.

It was easy.

Too easy.

To smile and go along with life as she had for so long. To be pinned against the front door by Daniel, who always used the argument, 'She might be watching,' and let him ravage her for a few brief moments.

Maybe though it was getting harder to walk inside and go their separate ways for the rest of the night.

To ignore the fact that when she would stir Daniel in sleep he would always murmur, 'Em' and reach a hand out looking for her. Not Amanda, but Em. The lie he had once been in love with.

He began running with her in the mornings along the beach.

-o-o-o-

Emily tried not to think much while she ran. She needed a time just to clear her head. Hearing the sand under her feet, the crash of the waves, the squall of the birds. That was enough. To be in the moment to not be plotting or rehashing, to just be.

"Aaah," Emily was not expecting the arm around her waist that lifted her up, there was no time to break free before she crashed sideways into the water. "Daniel!" Emily screamed as she struggled to get her body upright as Daniel was still pulling her down.

"You looked hot, I thought you needed to cool down," he stood without problem, pushing his soaked hair back.

"Oh really?" Emily came at him and he grabbed her to him as they both crashed into the water once more.

They came back up laughing.

"My sneakers were new."

"They'll dry," Daniel smirked. Next thing she knew he was pulling off his sneakers throwing them to shore. "I finish before you, I'm coming after you."

She laughed again and was soon throwing her destroyed sneakers to shore, following his lead with her tank. She screamed again as he came after her once more. Lifting her into his arms and jumping into a wave with her. Running away and splashing at him when he came barreling at her again.

He caught her, only he knew now it was because she had let him catch her. Pulled her in close for a kiss. "Ready to go again?" His wicked smile was inches away from her face, "Hold on."

She wrapped her legs around his waist and he ran towards another wave crashing them sideways into it. The height of the wave caused them to separate, but he pulled her back as soon as they stood.

They were broken apart from their embrace by, "Daniel!" Victoria looked on in annoyance, with her robe tightly fastened and David feet away.

"Caught by the parents," Daniel sighed.

"We thought you were being murdered. You've taken 10 years off my life," Victoria scolded him.

"Should be so luckily," Emily muttered.

"Sorry to have worried you," Daniel smiled and led Emily out of the water, "we will take our childish behavior back to the house."

"No you should stay." David nodded. "You don't come down to the beach very often."

Emily smiled at her father. "Keeping my distance."

"It's probably a little peculiar you not using your own beach," he gave her a weak smile.

"Not in the Hamptons," Victoria disrupted the father/daughter moment.

"You two should come up to the house for dinner tonight," Daniel offered.

"I don't think that's a good idea Daniel," Victoria smiled at him.

"Why? You're my mother and you're dating David, why wouldn't you come have dinner at my place?"

"So it's your place again."

"And we'd been having such a nice morning," Daniel gave her a look.

"Dinner sounds nice," David nodded.

"Great," Emily smiled, "8?"

"Fantastic," Victoria's smile fooled no one.

Emily stood from retrieving her discarded to tank and noticed David's eyes focused on her stomach. "So 8," she smiled once more.

David nodded. "Amanda," he called out as she began to walk away, causing her to turn back, "I love you."

She nodded back, "I love you too Dad."

They were halfway to the house before she spoke, "Their window was open."

"First time since we started running," he smiled at her.

-o-o-o-

"So what exactly is going on between you and my daughter," David questioned Daniel as they sat outside just the four of them, the staff having left hours ago. Sitting with pre-dinner drinks and appetizers.

The mouthful of wine only staying in Daniel's mouth because of good breeding. "Your daughter and I are grownups, I don't think we need to explain our actions to you."

"I only had her for eight years, she's still my little girl. I saw your handiwork on the beach today."

"I see it all the time. Horrible thing to see every day, your greatest mistake."

"A mistake, you nearly killed my daughter, you left her to drown," David nearly rose out of his seat.

"David," Victoria exclaimed and grabbed his arm.

"The last people Daniel and I need to explain our actions to are you and Victoria," Emily countered. "She sent you to prison."

Victoria focused her attention on Emily as she continued to hold onto David's arm, "I have explained-"

"You've explained away a lot of things Victoria," Emily rolled her eyes.

"You're using Daniel again to get back at me," the older woman accused.

"Daniel," he spoke of himself in third person, "made the decision to move in and any decisions after that are private, but were made mutually by two truthful adults."

"You think she's being truthful with you, when has she ever been truthful with you?"

Daniel's mouth shot open just a second before Emily's and he was effectively silenced by her, "I think that it's probably time for you to go."

"So very rarely we're in agreement, Amanda," Victoria said with a smile before standing.

-o-o-o-

"Amanda, Daniel," David said standing from his seat on the stairs in front of his house where he had been awaiting their morning run.

"Dad."

"David."

"I want to apologize for last night. You're my daughter and the thought of anyone hurting you-"

"Sir-"

David's head shook and his hand waved off Daniel as he looked at Amanda. "I wasn't there to protect you and what you've gone through because of me."

"Dad."

"You were happy yesterday and if you can get past-" David's head shook. "I want you to be happy."

"I'm-We're trying."

"Hurt her again the bullet won't hit your arm," David warned.

-o-o-o-

"Margaux please," Daniel said chasing after her while trying to look inconspicuous. A challenge since he was in a suit as Nolan hosted another event at his club.

"Daniel it was not my choice in attending this event please do not make this evening worse than it has already been."

"Five minutes please," his hands were at his sides in a desperate plea.

"I have already expressed-"

"Yes all communication should be done through your lawyer. We're having a baby together Margaux that can't be done through a lawyer."

"No, I'm having a baby. I don't know what you're doing," Margaux shot a look over at Emily, who was easily entertaining one of Daniel's new clients. She had appreciated that sweet look Emily had despite her sophistication back when she had featured it in her magazine. Emily Thorne didn't need the help of any man, but that never stopped every man from wanting to offer it.

"Margaux please."

"You were coming home Daniel," Margaux forced her eyes to be hard in seconds following that accidental slip. "You were coming home to me and our baby and the next thing I know I'm getting a call from Victoria that you were shot in **her **house."

"I was," Daniel nodded.

"You hated her."

"What was I supposed to do? Pretend I didn't hear anything?"

"No," Margaux shook her head, "of course not." If he had that would have proven the opposite of what she had wanted him to be. "How could you hate her one minute and then go back to her in the next?"

Daniel's mouth opened, but nothing came out.

Margaux was instantly transported back to the emergency room that fateful night and how Daniel's eyes kept going back to Emily before she was taken for x-rays.

"I'm not that boy you remember. The things I've done Margaux. What you think you know..." Daniel's head shook.

"You can be better," she softened because she once more saw that boy as he spoke.

"I'm trying."

"With her."

"What I did to Emily-"

"Is she blackmailing you? Is this like-"

Daniel laughed, "No, not at all. I don't know how to explain this Margaux."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"I need you to know that I'm trying to be someone better."

"For her!" Margaux was instantly annoyed with herself and looked around to make sure no one heard the slight increase in her tone. "You hated her Daniel. Despised, loathed, abhorred, detested. I am pretty sure you would have thrown a party if she died and the next thing I know you are willing to die for her. What happened?"

"She wasn't the villain."

"What?"

"I blamed everything on her, she wasn't even a human to me."

"What she did to you was atrocious-"

"Oh that it was," Daniel gave besmirched smile, "the thing was she wasn't the villain in my life. I was."

"Be the hero, be the villain. I no longer care Daniel," Margaux walked away.

-o-o-o-

Daniel drove home that night. He drove the majority of the time. It was a control thing. His reaction when she had questioned it previously left little doubt in her mind. She let him have it, especially since he was still under strict doctor's orders regarding limiting alcohol.

"I take it your talk with Margaux didn't go as you expected?"

"Went exactly how I expected."

_Not well. _"Dan-"

"If anything you're about to say involves the words, run, leave, or go. You can stop now or I'm going to put this car into a tree."

She was silent for the rest of the drive as she let him brood with his thoughts. She wasn't expecting his normal behavior when he was so preoccupied with thoughts of Margaux. Her key had already turned in the lock before she felt his hand sliding down her side, his breath on the back of her neck where his lips placed one quick kiss before she was abruptly turned to him and held against him. His lips were practically upon hers and she was expecting an angry kiss, "I'm not going anywhere." His eyes locked with hers and she held her breath.

She wasn't expecting him to open the door around her, head in and turn off the alarm while she stood outside.

"Sorry do you think Victoria needed a longer show? It's been a long night, I want to shower before bed." Daniel asked with a smirk as Emily finally turned towards the house.

"No I think that was enough," Emily nodded and walked inside.

"Night Mandy," he gave her another obnoxious smirk before heading towards the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Once again thanks for the reviews guys. This story has ended up being longer than I planned. Lol. One single person said to make it longer and I of course leapt at the idea because well, I'm trying to drag out Daniel time. I had a few set scenes that bound this story together. This little chapter has two of them and I'm not a big fan of either of them. Giving up and posting it as it is. Hopefully you guys will be back for the next installment. Thanks again for reading!

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><p>"You want to stay here past Labor Day?" Daniel stared blankly at her as they sat having breakfast.<p>

"My father isn't leaving," she pointed out.

"No one told him its unfashionable to remain in the Hamptons after Labor Day?"

Her head tilted, "Really?"

He smiled.

"It's for the best it'll be easier to watch him here rather than the city."

"I'm sure we could find a mansion in Westchester with a gardener's shack for our parents."

"Daniel."

"Amanda. Seriously, has he mentioned this to my mother?"

"You started a magazine in South Hampton because of Victoria."

"Only I wanted to start it in New York because normal people leave the Hamptons."

She laughed at the absurdity of their conversation.

He joined in, "No seriously. It's going to become like The Shining. I'm going to sit in the study and type, all work and no play makes Daniel a dull boy. I'm going to have one sided conversations with an imaginary bartender or worse, Jack. Oh that's right the Stowaway burned down."

"No one is twisting your arm to stay here."

"We made friends that live in Williamsburg."

"You're still not becoming a hipster."

He laughed. "Is it to late to change my mind and say I'll move to Paris with you?"

She laughed again, "Yes."

Anne, one of the new housekeepers came to the kitchen door, smiling as she entered. "Morning Ms. Thorne, Mr. Grayson."

"Morning," they smiled in unison.

"Emily and Daniel please," Emily reminded her.

"Of course, you two look like you're having a lovely morning."

"Who wouldn't with this one," Daniel smiled as he stood up from the table. "I have a few calls to make and a proposal to look over before my meeting." He bent down to give Emily a parting kiss.

"I have lunch with Louise at the club."

"Do not let her book any spa appointments," he smirked.

Emily laughed softly, aware of Anne in the room with them.

He bent down again kissing her cheek before whispering, "Be careful." Then gave her another kiss on the lips. "I'll miss you."

"You two are so sweet." Anne said looking over.

"You know the secret to being sweet after 3, 4, 500 years? Gotta keep it new. Break up all the time, so it's always new again," Daniel's charm was not lost on the middle aged housekeeper.

Anne laughed.

"Call me after lunch," Daniel said walking out of the room.

"He adores you," Anne said from the sink trimming the flowers she carried in.

"He's insane," Emily smiled over her coffee cup.

-o-o-o-

"I am so glad we are finally doing this, I can't believe it's taken 'til nearly the end of the summer," Louise lifted her cocktail.

"The summer went by so quickly," Emily raised her glass of sparkling water.

"Oh now Emily. You know it's bad luck to cheers with water."

"I'm not really in the mood for a drink."

"It is champagne sangria, it's hardly a drink. It's more like fruit juice." Louise smiled, "unless Danny is going to have more than one bundle of joy this year."

Emily's jaw tightened as she continued to smile, "Hardly."

"Let me guess, Danny told you I'd poison your drink?" Louise picked up Emily's glass and took a sip, "Trust me when I say this, I do not have a death wish and I would certainly never spoil a glass of champagne. I truly wish you and Danny the best. We both adore Nolan. I'd like for us to be friends. Now come on," Louise handed over Emily's drink.

Emily took it and smiled.

"To surviving a summer in the Hamptons," Louise grinned and clinked Emily's glass, "and to Margaux LeMarchal hating someone more than me."

Emily let out a wry smile.

"You and Danny have seriously been everything anyone is talking about. I am quite convinced that a few women whose marriages aren't quite as rosy as they'd once been have been looking into booking their very own home intruder. What is it about men playing the hero and saving the damsel?"

"Probably the same thing as women playing the damsel," Daniel said walking up in a polo and shorts. "Em needs no one to rescue her however. Unless it's from the remote control," he pulled a chair away from an empty table and joined them.

"Did Daniel save you from a big bad remote?" Louise laughed.

"Nolan had to rescue Emily and the remote, I almost threw it across the room," he lifted Emily's glass and took a sip.

"He set us up," Emily nodded with a smile, "he's the one who gave it to us."

"That is delicious," Daniel said putting down the glass.

"We'll get you a glass," Louise smiled.

He waved off the offer.

"So what exactly do you think I'm doing or telling Emily that made you come crash our little lunch?"

"There is absolutely nothing that you could tell Emily about me that would surprise her and I think you've learned that Emily can handle anything."

"Yes she was quite clear in that soon after you two reunited," Louise gave a small smile and lifted her glass.

Daniel's hand rested in the back of her neck, "Were you a tad vicious?"

"I merely expressed to Louise that given our history-"

"Claws were exposed," Louise smiled, "and it turns out Emily has talons."

Daniel laughed again.

"I thought you had work?" Emily turned to Daniel.

"Decided we should talk in person and his girlfriend has been after him to go sailing with her."

"Why do I have this wicked feeling you're about to steal Emily away?" Louise did not look amused by the thought.

"In an hour, hour and a half? I'm meeting with him in fifteen minutes."

"I'm not exactly dressed to go sailing," Emily wasn't exactly thrilled by this change in plans being trapped on a small vessel with Daniel for hours having to maintain this charade.

"I packed you a bag, the valet brought it inside. I love you."

Emily sighed.

"You owe me," Daniel reminded her since they were attending a party hosted by Louise later that night.

"I just got my nails done."

Daniel laughed slightly wondering whose benefit all of this was for, "I am sorry," he leaned in for a kiss.

Emily whimpered, "Fine."

He laughed again and kissed her once more, "Come on summer's almost over." He laughed, "And it'll just be us alone in that big house, every day, all day, together."

A burst of laughter emerged from Emily.

"You're going to miss this," Daniel told her.

"I certainly feel like I'm missing something," Louise reminded them of her presence.

"Sorry," Emily said turning back.

"Well it's just as well that you're here Daniel. Nolan and I had a thought."

"And I'm scared," Daniel leaned back in his chair, his arm around Emily.

"I'm going to ignore that. Since the four of us have been excluded from the Voulez event and I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to end the season at a second rate party. Nolan and I thought it would be fun if we had our own celebration."

Daniel's mouth opened and Emily watched with amusement as he debated how to approach that while appearing civil.

"What exactly are you thinking Louise?" Emily saved him.

"A low key night. That is what you two seem to like doing now? Not that I can blame you with all the interest you garner whenever you go out."

"What did you have in mind?" Emily questioned.

"A crab boil event on the beach. Big ol' picnic tables, beer, the sunset and we can apparently see fireworks if we stay long enough."

"That doesn't sound-" Emily began.

"Horrible?" Daniel finished in surprise.

She rolled her eyes, but didn't respond to Daniel. "Wonderful, I already bought the tickets. Do you two want to ask Jack or any of your new little hipster friends?"

"No," Daniel nodded, "not at all."

"We are going to become friends Danny. It's time you just accept it."

"Are you going to be around after the summer is over?" Emily asked.

"Part of it. Until it gets too cold."

"I was thinking of a pool party."

"Really?" Daniel turned.

"Pool and barbeque before it gets cold."

"I would love that. Nice change from what's happening tonight," Louise said referring to her own gathering. "Still worried about your manicure Emily?"

Emily laughed.

"Just stretch out, enjoy yourself, I will do all the work," Daniel said placing a kiss on her hand.

"Spoken like a man in a monogamous relationship."

Daniel let out a laugh, "Thomas," he stood. "How are you?" He asked taking the hand of the slightly older gentleman, whose sandy hair was already beginning to thin and whose dock wear wasn't just impeccably well taken care of, but brand new.

"Not as good as you this afternoon. Ladies," Thomas smiled.

"Thomas Ashmoore, my girlfriend Emily Thorne and her friend Louis Elllis."

"Why is Daniel doing all the work?" Thomas inquired.

"Emily is concerned over the state of her manicure," Louise smiled.

"Daniel's right, it's the end of summer. Who knows how many more beautiful days we have ahead of us. If my nails get chipped. I'll just wipe the polish off."

"My kind of woman," Thomas smiled.

-o-o-o-

"I know I'm sorry this is now how you wanted to spend your afternoon," Daniel said as they walked down the docks.

"I'm just not a huge fan of boats anymore."

Daniel froze, "I'm an ass. I am so sorry Amanda. I almost killed you on a boat last year. I'll tell Thomas we-"

Emily was well aware there was no one close enough to hear them as they hadn't yet reached the boats. Her head shook, that wasn't it. Not really. Dying she could have handled, dying she had almost been prepared for. "I lived. Amanda didn't."

"You weren't-" Daniel came closer, "were you with Amanda and Jack?"

"I knew your dad would send someone after them. Nolan took Jack to the hospital. I went for Amanda." Emily shook her head, "Amanda died for something that happened twenty years ago."

"No," Daniel said holding onto both of her arms as he looked upon her, "Amanda is here. You're Amanda. Emily died. I don't know why. I don't understand any of this, but you're Amanda. If you let go of that. What the hell was the point of any of this?"

"Daniel people are looking at us," Emily said looking away, uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Let them look. I don't care."

"Let's just get on the boat," Emily shook her head and tried to break free of Daniel's grasp, something she quickly realized she wouldn't be able to do unless she made it noticeable. "You want me to wipe your slate clean so badly. Fine Daniel. We're even. You took a bullet for me. We're even."

"Okay number one that's never going to be true. Number two, we're allies. You asked me to stand against my family years ago. I asked myself to a dozen times. I was weak. It was easier to become like them. To become everything I hated. I'm done with that."

"What are you doing Daniel? There is no going back in time because what you thought was between us, never was."

"Trust me, I am very aware of that. But the thing is, it wasn't all a lie, you can tell yourself that if you need to, but we all know you're not great with honesty. Now, I don't particularly like you, you hate me, but we're in this together and based on how this going I'm guessing we're going to be doing this for awhile. So just get over it already. Now I'm going to explain to Thomas that I'm an idiot."

"Don't even think about it," Emily said pulling him back, "kiss me because 3 people are staring at us."

He didn't hesitate.

"You're getting this client, I'm not supporting you until this is over," Emily hooked her arm into his and continued down the dock.

They were both smiling as they approached Thomas' slip number. He was on the phone, so they waited on the dock. He finished the tense phone call and forced a smile at them, "Come aboard. He gave them another exhausted smile, "Let me impart just a small kernel of wisdom to you two. Never get married."

"Too late for that," Daniel's wry expression said it all.

"Your ex wife a bitch too?"

"The biggest," Emily turned with a smile as she stepped aboard the boat.

"And I put my foot in my mouth."

Daniel laughed as he came aboard, "Let's just say this. I have impeccable taste and I am extremely persistent in getting what I want."

-o-o-o-

Daniel handed Emily a life jacket as Thomas' girlfriend, Mallory went down below to store the champagne sangria they brought from the club.

"Do you have no faith in us Daniel?" Thomas questioned.

"Total faith. Trust me, this is not a doubt of your sailing expertise."

"It's a beautiful day, easy waters, Emily, you do not need a life vest. You can't have possibly been married. If my ex-"

"Oh my god," Mallory said coming up from below deck, "Tom, you just sold your company to google. You should actually use google before you talk to people."

-o-o-o-

"You're going all out tonight?" Daniel said walking into the bathroom as Emily was blow drying her hair.

She turned off the blow dryer, "I have no choice someone threw me into the water."

"I didn't throw you, I pulled you with me. You were sweating."

"I could be napping now in the air conditioning."

"You don't nap," Daniel pointed out.

"I'm going to a party with Louise and Victoria."

"We should have gotten a to go sangria."

Emily laughed.

"I'm gonna go take a nap. Wake me when you're ready to go."

Emily sighed loudly, "Life is really hard for you, isn't it Daniel."

"You have no idea," he smirked from the doorway.

-o-o-o-

"Better watch Emily, dear. We wouldn't want her to get too close to the edge," were Victoria's parting remarks as Daniel excused himself and Emily since David had gone to get Victoria a drink and there was no reason for them to endure her company any longer.

"How did I miss that my entire life," Daniel whispered as Emily's now unpolished nails dug into him, keeping him from confronting his mother.

"We miss a lot of things about our parents when we're young," Emily said looking at David, not knowing him at all.

"At least you still have time," he said pushing back a blonde wave from in front of her face.

-o-o-o-

"Didn't you two meet at a party like this?" Louise smiled as she stood in a circle of Nolan, Jack, Daniel and Emily.

"We did," Emily smiled back.

"She threw her drink on you?" Louise laughed.

"Pretty much," Daniel agreed as he took a sip of the champagne in his hand.

"You just go for what you want. I love that," another grin from Louise.

"I have to be honest, the drink was pretty superfluous. That day she could have walked up to me, introduced herself and I probably would have followed her anywhere."

Nolan grumbled.

"Sorry, what was that?" Louise turned.

"It was probably the dress," Nolan covered himself.

"It was a great dress," Daniel smiled.

-o-o-o-

"Okay this is overkill. Your mother can't see us," Emily spoke softly as Daniel continued to pepper her with trailing kisses as they ducked into the living area of the yacht.

"She saw us up above. She can imagine."

"This isn't you, we never did this, she's not going to believe it." She needed him to stop.

"Oh, but see this is me," Daniel said as his hands gently moved upon her hips, "you played your role I played mine. I couldn't risk Emily not liking me, but you, Amanda. You hate me anyhow," his lips twitched up in another smirk as he kissed her once more.

"I do."

"I know."

"Okay this has gone far enough," Victoria's voice broke them out of their haze. "You are behaving like a lovestruck teenager. Do you recall what happened the last time you two were on a boat together."

"We had a lovely time, Mother." Daniel didn't pause a beat. "We were sailing this afternoon."

"I just can't believe you're this gullible to fall for her lies again. What did she say Daniel, that she forgives you, that she wants to work it out? That it wasn't all a lie and she really did fall in love with you?"

"Victoria," David said walking in behind her.

"I'm sorry David. I know you think she can do no wrong, but I will not allow my son to be her victim again."

"Her victim? Did you forget what your son did to her?" David's rage instantly turned on.

"You know as fun as it is to have this fight again with you two-" Emily began.

"We'd much rather wait for the boat to dock up top," Daniel finished.

-o-o-o-

"We need to put a stop to this," Nolan told Jack off to the side as said as Emily and Daniel were resisting Louise's pleas for them to stay longer.

"I tried that once Nolan," Jack took a sip of his drink, "it ended up with them engaged."

"But she broke it off for you," Nolan stopped himself, "oh god did you know that?" Nolan shook his head and waved off the worry, he had bigger concerns. "We have to do something. We know how this ends between them."

"What if what he's saying is the truth and he actually wants to help her?"

"He is a Grayson, we never trust a Grayson. He can help her without sleeping with her. This was a bad plan. I told her from the start."

"No one has gone after Emily, the same can't be said for David," Jack took another sip of his drink as more people departed the boat.

Louise walked back over pouting and took the drink out of Jack's hand and took a sip for herself, "You know I get the oddest sensation sometimes that they hate each other." She handed Jack back his drink and went in search of more champagne.

"Let's hope they remember that," Nolan said under his breath.

-o-o-o-

It was more of the same as Emily found herself caught up in Daniel's arms before she even made it to the door. A breathy laugh as they finally made it to the door and Daniel was making it difficult for her to get the key in the lock.

Eventually the key turned and the door opened and Daniel let out a loud breath against her skin before she walked in to punch the code into the alarm, leaving Daniel to lock the door.

"It's been a long night, I think I'm going to take a shower before bed," he headed towards the stairs.

"K," Emily said letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

-o-o-o-

Emily's shoes were off before she reached the stairs. The gold sandals hung between her fingers and she was forced to lift the fushia maxi with her hand or risk her death ascending the stairs, or at least her pride. The silky material between her fingers, a 70's throw back in design, the wrap dress had left too much of her exposed she decided now. Too much exposure was always a problem.

She braced herself as she reached their room. The lights hadn't even been turned on, she didn't bother turning them on now as moonlight flooded the room. Daniel's coat was tossed onto a chair, she dropped her shoes and purse there to join it before heading out to the balcony.

She needed space.

She was exhausted still, a feeling that hadn't left all summer.

They were no closer to resolving the Malcolm Black problem and until they did she was trapped with Daniel in this endless cycle of lies.

They would have to schedule the help to only be in the house when one of them was. They couldn't maintain this for months on end.

She braced herself as she heard the bathroom door open.

She knew he was walking out in boxers and still half damp.

It was a bizarre existence. Living with the man she had pretended to love for years. The unending familiarity.

Daniel's behavior hadn't changed from their time together. He changed in front of her, left the bathroom door unlocked.

Only now he laughed that she wouldn't enter the bathroom while he was showering to wash her face and brush her teeth.

There was a level of familiarity she couldn't allow.

She had no choice, but to go in shortly, lest she look effected by the day's events, the month's events.

She would wash her face, brush her teeth, change and then go in search of anything else aside from laying in bed and listening to Daniel breathe. Risk him starting one of his nightly chats.

She just couldn't anymore.

She heard his footsteps behind her.

"That really is an amazing dress," his hands skimmed her arms and then one moved the thin tie that had been draped down her back so it rested in front of her, swept along her shoulder like her hair. Her back was exposed, the rest of her covered in the thin jersey-crepe with a low dipping front that hadn't allowed for much else aside from the dress.

"Daniel," she said as he kissed the curve of her neck.

"She could be watching," he said as always.

_She could. Of course she could. _

He was still damp from his shower, she could feel it on her arms, could feel it through the thin material of the dress. "Mmm," her hand went back and into his hair.

His fingers found the plum sash at her waist, undoing it as she once more said his name, he turned her to him, "Gotta make it look believable right," he said before kissing her.

"Right," she agreed when his lips left hers and trailed down.

"I love this dress," Daniel said as the dress was draped to her right side and it wouldn't take much effort for her to be completely exposed.

"Daniel."

"Amanda," he said with a small smile before releasing the catch on the right, leaving the dress hanging around her sides. His arm slid in beneath it as it shielded her like an open robe.

Bare skin to bare skin he held her against him as he once more kissed her.

"We can't keep going like this," he spoke the truth as his breath was shallow.

"She could be watching," Emily said repeating his line.

He didn't pause to smile, but once more pulled her close to him and stepped them back into the room.

"I still hate you," she said as he freed the small bow at the back of her neck that was holding the dress up.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself," he said pulling her back to him and them towards the bed.

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><p>AN: Sorry. Couldn't do the hate sex. Last season's episode after she got rid of Sarah... I needed them to have something softer to start with.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Hmm okay here it goes. Thanks for reading guys! And the reviews, they were awesome. Still refuse to watch the last episode, did catch the flashbacks, which you will totally notice as you read.

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><p>"Daniel." Emily was laying on her side of the bed, Daniel on his, both looking up at the ceiling.<p>

"Amanda."

"What-"

"Do we really want to do this now?"

No she didn't, it was the last way she wanted to start her Saturday, especially considering this had been what she wanted to avoid. "Well we have to do it at some point."

He turned with a laugh, "It really bothers you that we just connect on some level. A very basic and primitive level, but-"

"We connect? It's sex."

He laughed again, bitterly as he rolled back, "This is what kept us going. What kept your lie going."

"Sex really?"

"I was not lying when I said I would have followed you anywhere that first day. I'm pretty sure I made a fool of myself trying to get you interested in me. It would have been nice to know I just had to keep being Daniel Grayson."

"You're just being an ass now."

"Come on you wanted to talk," he rolled back to looking at her. "This kept me hooked for years. The only time I felt like I could ever get close to you when we got engaged again. When this left, that's when I knew you were never going to let me in."

"Did I not fake it well enough at the end?" Emily rolled towards him in anger.

"You started faking it at the end." His head rolled to the side, "Not that," his eyebrows lifted, "everything else. It was like you shut off. It was the only time I ever got a crack inside your shell and you just threw up this wall the closer we got to our wedding."

"You did shoot me after our wedding."

He laughed and rolled his body back to facing her, "You really don't get it, do you? I was in love with you, with Emily Thorne. And it was all a lie. You can't even begin to imagine what that felt like."

"No," Emily sat up, "you're right. I can't even begin to imagine that. It's not like my dad just came back from the dead and I found out that everything I did...Everyone I lost."

He sat up, "Manda," his hand reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Don't," she shrugged out of his touch, "I don't need your pity Daniel. I made my choices, you made yours."

Daniel laughed softly, "You really think I pity you? You had the world stacked against you and this is who you became. Understanding why you did this and anger at the people that started this, isn't pity."

"Don't," Emily shook her head.

"It drives you insane that I don't hate you anymore and that you can't quite hate me as much as you used to," his lips quirked up.

"I do hate you."

He turned her to him, "I can tell when you really hate me. I'm a pro at that."

She rolled her eyes.

"It's amazing to not have that inside me anymore. Now we don't like each others' past actions, or all personality traits. But we don't hate each other and we like this."

Emily let out an abrupt laugh, "Was that just your argument for us to continue having sex?"

"All work, no play makes Daniel a dull boy?" His lips lifted slightly.

Emily laughed again.

"We are in this together, we need to find some common ground."

"And again," Emily nodded, "the common ground is the bed."

Daniel laughed and pulled her to him, "Come on look at me," he tugged her onto his legs.

She rolled her eyes as she was forced to straddle him.

"The common ground is you don't hate me entirely and that occasionally this isn't completely awful."

"I don't love you, Daniel. I'm never going-"

He shook his head and pushed back her hair, "I know that."

"Then-"

"We're here. Right now Amanda. This is where we are. I'm always going to be the man that shot you and left you to die and you're always going to be the woman, who manipulated me into loving you for years and that hurt worse than anything my family ever did to me. There's more to us than that. If there wasn't Kate Taylor," he shook his head, "Katherine Black she should have just finished us off."

"Daniel," she let out a small sigh.

He gave her another quick nervous smile.

"This isn't going to make me stop hating you."

He laughed and pulled her closer, "I like the way you hate now," and kissed her.

-o-o-o-

"We are just testing out some new lounge chairs that I bought, getting some sun." Daniel gave a look to Emily who had spread her belongings across the vacant spot on the double lounger, as he walked around the pool while on the phone with Charlotte.

Her head shook no.

"We had a busy weekend, trying to get a few minutes of downtime before it starts again. We're going to a barbeque, you probably don't remember Mark Wagner, I was in school with him. Just bought a place out here, then we have a crab boil on the beach with Nolan and Louise."

"No I don't want to he's her best friend," he laughed and turned away from Emily's direction, "and now she's giving me a dirty look. So do they-" Daniel was silenced as Charlotte launched into her plans for the day. "She sent you to summer camp, didn't she?" His lips twitched up in a smile, "I'm joking Charlotte. I'm very proud of you. We both are. Fine I will not mention her again. You're going to have to do all the talking because everything I do on my own is so mind numblingly boring you will fall asleep." He listened to another rant, "You know we're sorry right. Everything that happened, everything you got dragged into, everything I was too preoccupied to see." He went quiet again listening to her, "Okay I'll talk to you later. I'm glad you're doing well. I love you too."

He tossed his phone onto the other lounge. "Charlotte obviously sends her love."

He could see her eyebrows lift just above her sunglasses, "Anger like that doesn't just go away Daniel. I don't expect her to forgive me."

"That doesn't mean you don't want her to."

"That anger Daniel, the things I did. The things I did knowing she was my sister. She shouldn't forgive me."

"I hope she can, I don't want her to keep that inside her." He took off his sunglasses, "Are you really not going to let me on the chair?"

"You bought two," she lifted up her magazine again.

"I'm spending an entire night with Louise and Nolan. Sober."

She laughed lightly, but didn't look up from her magazine.

"Manda," Daniel spoke softly as his hand trailed up her leg.

"Go away," she didn't respond to him.

"Make me," he grabbed her stuff from the side and tossed it onto the table next to them before dropping his body down.

"You live to make my life difficult don't you?"

"At last you have figured out my secret mission, I am not actually Daniel Grayson, I assumed his identity merely to torture you," he plucked the magazine out of her hand. "Come on, one kiss," he said climbing onto the chair, over her.

"Go away," she laughed at him as she turned her head to the side so he couldn't kiss her.

"Make me," he teased.

"Anne is inside working."

"No she isn't," he smiled, "I told her to go home."

"You were the one that wanted her to be here."

"When she was an asset, now she's an inconvenience."

"You're inconvenient, Nolan is supposed to be calling me."

"He can wait, come on. We're supposed to be taking a day off."

She flipped him so he was suddenly the one on the chair, "I have things to do."

"Well by all means," Daniel smiled up, "I'll just lay here and let you do all the work," he tucked his hands behind his head.

Emily couldn't help, but laugh at him.

"Oh please don't," Nolan said walking out of the house.

"Ignore him," Emily smiled at Nolan and went back to her side of the chair.

"I wish I could, I think now would be a good time for us to talk about you two curtailing your extracurricular activities in places that are covered by the security cameras. Although I have to say Daniel running on the beach has really paid off for you," he lifted his fist in a supportive gesture.

"So I'm going to go for a swim," Daniel ignored Nolan, "while you two exclude me from your conversation because it's not like I got shot or anything."

"It was barely a flesh wound," Nolan called out.

-o-o-o-

"I like it," Mark said nodding at Emily and Daniel as they stripped down to their swimsuits to hop in one of the 3 kiddie pools that had been set up in the backyard, "it's like The Bloods and The Crips," he pointed at their scars and Emily's red bikini and Daniel's blue swim trunks.

"You're an ass," his wife said to him as she rolled her eyes. "I like your bikini, Em," she smiled.

-o-o-o-

"Getting out of bed because of that alarm is the worst feeling in the world," Madison, the school teacher they had gone out with the other week told the group as they talked about her returning to school, "I just want 5 more minutes and there's never five more minutes."

Daniel nodded in agreement.

"You cannot be worse than Daniel," Emily gave him a quick look before turning back to the others in the small pool, "he will seriously stay in bed an hour after he gets up."

"That," he said throwing an arm around her sending the top of her margarita into the pool, "is because waking up with you is still the best part of my day."

"Okay you guys should not make divorce look so good," Becca gave them a dirty look.

"Yea well waking up with her is a lot nicer now that she doesn't hate me all the time," Daniel laughed and took a sip of his beer.

"I like how you're okay with it's still some of the time," Becca laughed.

"Oh," Emily sighed and shifted so she was more comfortable against him, "it's most of the time."

"Yea," Daniel's eyes went wide, "we get out that bed and it goes downhill. Hey you know what," he turned to her.

"We are not staying in bed all day," Emily shook her head with a smile.

-o-o-o-

"We could just not go," Daniel's arms went around her as she walked out of the bathroom still in her towel.

"Daniel, we do not have time for this, we need to be out of the house in 20 minutes and you still have to shower."

"If we don't go-"

"We're going," Emily ordered and ducked out of his arms.

-o-o-o-

He walked out of the shower as Emily was brushing her teeth and paused.

"What?" she asked after she spit.

He gave a small shake of his head and a smile, "Nothing, you look nice."

"Because I'm in a towel," she shook her head again, "can you please get dressed?"

-o-o-o-

Daniel's good arm was around Emily, a clear sign to Nolan and Louise. His right arm angled in front of him as if often was after so long with a sling, their sweaters draped over it for later. He'd casually glance at her, her dark blonde hair held a slight wave as they'd hurried out of the house before she could do it, the thin blush tank would expose just a flash of her stomach if she moved the right way, the skinny white jeans, she'd barely put makeup on. She looked young. Too young for everything that had already happened. He felt young standing next to her in jeans and a pale blue button down. Today felt like they still had the world ahead of them.

The evening wasn't going as badly as he expected, but they had only been there for 15 minutes standing with beers in their hands waiting to be seated at the long communal picnic tables. They were expected to mingle and enjoy appetizers, Daniel's main thought was Emily's skin under his hand, which he was stroking unconsciously until he froze.

"Daniel?" Emily said looking up at him as she felt the change in his body, "Are you okay, you look like you've-" Emily followed his gaze, "Sara."

Sara was standing just behind Nolan with a horrified look on her face. Her light brown hair still curled at the ends, a jade green sundress showing how the shock instantly drained her face of color.

"This cannot be happening," was Sara's quiet response.

"Guessing y'all know each other," Louise looked between the two parties.

"Sara is Daniel's ex girlfriend," Emily tersely replied as Sara quickly walked away.

"So who here hasn't slept with Danny?" Louise questioned.

Nolan raised his hand, "That would be lucky me." He paused, "Although I have slept with his brother and his roommate that was obsessed with him."

"They say towns in the south are small," Louise joked.

"I should," Daniel nodded, "I'll be back," he tapped Emily's arm before he took his away and gave her a kiss on her temple before he walked away.

"I imagine there is a very long story behind this," Louise's eyes glittered in the evening sky.

-o-o-o-

"Sara please wait," Daniel said catching up to her in the parking lot.

"I can't Daniel, I can't do this again. I don't know what type of scam you two are pulling now, but I want no part of it."

"I'm sorry. You were there at a really bad point and I'm sorry that I dragged you into-"

"You hate her more than I have ever seen anyone hate another living human being."

"I did," he nodded slowly.

"You did?" Sara's head shook, "That doesn't just go away."

"I was desperate when you came back into my life and then I was just so angry. I should have never involved you."

"You're right for once. You should have stayed the hell out of my life. What you two did..." her head shook, "do is sick."

"You don't understand-"

"I understand that you hated her and that she used you-"

"I didn't know her. We're just..." Daniel's head shook, "We're trying now to just..." his head shook again, "be human."

"I am pretty sure it's been too late for that for some time."

"Look I'm sorry. I know that's a pretty useless word, but I am. Come back, it's the last day of summer. Emily and I won't bother you."

-o-o-o-

Daniel walked onto the beach several feet behind Sara, he paused and gave a sad smile as he saw Emily maneuvering around people to reach him.

"How'd that go?" She asked as she reached him.

"Promise me if I ever become that person again, you'll shoot me."

"I'm okay with that," Emily nodded and her lips lifted up slightly.

He gave a small laugh and pulled her to him.

-o-o-o-

"You know," Nolan said as they ate, "I don't recall you being this affectionate in the past."

Emily gave him a look as she wiped off the butter Daniel had just put on her nose with his finger.

"I know," Daniel smiled, "she can't stand it. Now she's just stuck with me."

"Louise do you still want him?" Emily asked across the table.

"Not getting rid of me," Daniel flung his arm around her and pulled her close to him.

Emily squealed as she tried to shake him off, "Daniel your hand is covered in seafood."

"And butter," he smiled, "you're going to be delicious later." He kept her close to his side, flashing her a quick smile before looking back at the pair they were dining with.

"I'm actually going to be sick. This is what people talk about. I never really understood it until this moment." Nolan looked down in disgust at his food.

Sara was thinking the same thing seconds later as she heard Daniel's loud laugh and turned behind her to see Daniel, two tables back, removing his arm from Emily's back before placing a kiss on her shoulder. She could hear him groan as Emily's fingers dug into the front of his hair. She turned away before she saw anything else.

-o-o-o-

"They run out of beer?" Sara made her best attempt at a smile as she approached the group of four. She had tried to stop watching them, she had tried to stay away, but somehow she found herself separating from her friends and gravitating towards them. Sara pointed at the beer Daniel and Emily were sharing as people once more mingled on the beach waiting for the fireworks to start.

"Danny's still on strict doctor's orders," Louise smiled, "little run in with sepsis after the shooting."

"You were shot?" Sara found herself caring despite the fact that she didn't want to.

"Someone in the Hamptons that doesn't know what happened with you two this summer, must say it's quite refreshing. I'm Louise Ellis by the way and you are?"

"Sara. Sara Munello. What happened?"

"It was just my arm," Daniel shook it off.

"Tore through the muscle," Louise added, "he's being bashful. He heard Emily being attacked, he ran to save her and then they both nearly died. It was a pretty big thing. Just missed the bone that would have been a real-"

"It's just an arm Louise," Daniel stopped her.

"I suppose it is just an arm when you were willing to die for her." Louise smiled at Sara, "It has been the talk of Southampton. They hate each other, he hears her being attacked, runs to try to help her, she begs him to run, he gets shot and then he still kept coming even though he wouldn't be able to save her. If he couldn't save her, he'd rather die with her. Practically Shakespearean. Only you two got a happy ending," Louise lifted her beer at them.

"Thank you for that lovely recap Louise," Emily tried to keep her cool.

"A lot's happened this summer," Daniel softly added.

"I'll say," Sara said with another false smile on her face, "the Daniel Grayson I know would watched with a smile as Emily Thorne died."

"No one was more surprised than me," Emily said with an attempt at a smile.

"Well you two deserve each other," Sara said raising her beer.

-o-o-o-

"Louise set this up," Daniel said as he was once more alone with Emily as he took her for a stroll on the beach.

"I don't see how. The Hamptons aren't that big. We were bound to run into her eventually."

"We destroyed her, dragged her into the war between us. You dragged her mother into it. Her only crime was she loved me. She was a real person while you were nothing, but lies."

"I'm sorry," Emily sarcastically responded, "I didn't have time to deal with her with kid gloves."

"She was just a person, an every day person who did nothing wrong."

"You were my fiancé and then my husband."

"Not for real, not to you."

"It was real to you though Daniel. You asked me to marry you, you thought we were having a baby together and still you-"

"I wanted someone who actually cared about me? Who actually liked me? I might have been the devil in a million different ways, but that is the most basic part of a person. Wanting someone to actually connect with."

"Well if you just waited another month you could have had that and I could have Aiden, but you didn't, so we don't and we're here so deal with it. She's at least still alive, you want another chance go for it. I'm definitely not stopping you." Emily turned to walk away from him to rejoin the larger group up the beach.

He pulled her back, "Why is it this you'll walk away from, but not things that will actually save your life."

"He's my father, he's all I have left in this world and if I can't figure this out Charlotte can't ever come home."

"I know," Daniel said pulling her in for a hug despite the fact that she kept her body tense.

"I don't have any proof against Victoria that my father will believe. Even if I could convince him to run, he's not going to leave her and Charlotte."

"I know, I'm sorry." He kissed the side of her face.

"Daniel."

He laughed slightly at her tone, "Understanding, not pity."

Emily looked out onto the water as she heard a loud boom and the first firework exploded. "We should go back to everyone."

"Fuck them," Daniel turned her in his arms so they could watch the display, "we were having a nice day before them."

"We were hiding."

"No," he said continuing to hold onto her, "that is hiding." He gave a passing glance at the large group further up the beach. "This is just us Amanda."

-o-o-o-

Eventually Nolan and Louise came and joined them and the four of them walked back to the larger group as the fireworks ended. Emily's arm casually laced through Daniel's until they reached the car waiting for Nolan and Louise and said their goodbyes.

"Sure you won't come back to the club with us?" Louise questioned with a smile as Nolan had already climbed into the car.

"It's been a long day. Maybe next time," Emily offered with a smile.

"It's not about that ugliness before," Louise pouted.

"Our past is ugly Louise," Daniel smiled at her, "I told you, Em and I have been through it all."

"So you did," she smiled at them. "Well I know you two will enjoy the rest of your night. Enjoy your second dinner Danny." She smiled at Emily, "Shopping this week?"

"Maybe," Emily nodded as Daniel put his arm around around her neck.

"Be careful with this one," Daniel smiled into the car at Nolan, "remember Tyler."

"Oh really Danny," Louise gave another grin to Daniel as she climbed into the car with Nolan. "Let's go entertain the masses."

-o-o-o-

"I am ready for bed," Emily sighed as she approached the passenger's door with Daniel still attached to her.

"Me too," he smiled as he turned to kiss her.

"I mean for sleep."

"We'll get to that eventually. Gotta wear you out a little more, so you'll let me have a few more minutes waking up tomorrow," he gave her another kiss before he opened the door for her.

She shook her head at him as she got into the car.

He walked around the back still smiling.

"Top down will wake you up," he said as he started the car.

-o-o-o-

The road was quiet, although Daniel knew it wouldn't be for long, the masses would soon start to wrap up their farewells and begin their own journeys home. He glanced over at Emily, her eyes were closed, it was the look that kept him in bed every morning.

He was smiling at her and didn't give much thought to the car approaching on his left, until it rammed into theirs

-o-o-o-

"Amanda!" His screaming her name finally brought her around as he gently shook her shoulder.

"What happened?" Emily lifted a hand to her head, taking in the deflated airbags around them and the tree in front of the car.

"Someone hit us from the side," Daniel undid his seat belt and tried to give a firm shove with his left arm to get his door open. He groaned and turned trying once more with his right arm pushing it. He let out a breath and turned the car off, he pulled out his phone and Emily listened with her hands on her head as he called the police.

She took a deep breath and undid her seat belt, regaining enough balance to open her door. One leg made it out, but as she tried to push up on it it gave out as a wave of nausea passed over her. She saw Daniel out of the corner of her eye climbing over his door and coming around to her side.

"Manda," he was crouched down to her level, his hands on her face.

"I'm okay," she nodded, "I just got the wind knocked out of me." She took another breath trying to settle her stomach, "What happened?"

"I don't know there was no one on the road with us and then a car just came into our side."

"We should move in case they come back," she nodded and pulled herself up using the seat, Daniel's left arm hooked around her as his right held onto the door.

He groaned, but said, "Just take it easy. Cops will be here soon."

"Are you okay?" She nodded slightly, trying to get her bearings and figure out a plan.

"Yea, just sore. There was a car behind us, it changed lanes and then the next thing I knew it was coming at us."

"Did you see the drive? A model, a color?"

"Blue, it was a car."

"We need to move, you okay to move?" Emily pulled away from him.

"Yea," he nodded.

"Okay," she walked towards the front of the car trying to figure out a plan, "we can't stand here, we're hidden, we double back and walk up to the road." They had gone down a small embankment, they were almost hidden from the road.

"Okay," he grimaced as he nodded and he turned as she walked back to his side, she watched him pause and grab his left side with his arm.

"You're not okay."

"No I'll...I'll be fine," he took away his hand, "Lestart movin." His right hand went to the car to support him as he began to walk.

"Daniel," she called his name. He turned to her slowly as he grimaced. "Daniel, you're not okay." His eyes remained squinted as he tried to focus on her. "Daniel," her arms went around him as she noticed him begin to waiver. "Daniel," she called his name as he began to go down. Struggling to get him to the ground as gently as possibly as tears welled up in her eyes. "Daniel please open your eyes, Daniel! Please!"

Still pleading as the cops practically slid down the embankment to reach them moments later. One pulled her away as the other one dropped down to Daniel.

"Help him," she yelled as the cop with her tried to say something, he turned on the grass and focused his attention on Daniel.

"It wasn't all a lie," she whispered as Daniel lay still on the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Okay doing a tiny chapter. The plan was for this chapter for this chapter to span a week. Then the scenes got entirely too long and unfortunately the best stopping point in that week isn't that long. Plus side I'm halfway through the next chapter or at least I really hope I'm halfway through the next chapter. Thanks again for all of your reviews.

* * *

><p>"Mmm," was the first noise Daniel made after he fell. It felt like an eternity as she sat on the grass with the officer. The other officer had given up on the vigil after they made sure Daniel was still breathing and had gone up to the road. Daniel's entire face constricted with pain as he awoke.<p>

She let out a relieved gasp as she leaned closer to him, never letting go of his hand, her other hand stiffened in his hair, "Don't try to move. The ambulance will be here soon."

He made a weak attempt at a thumbs up with his other hand and gave up trying to open his eyes. "Oww."

Emily laughed and she leaned back over him, his eyes flashed open briefly and him gave her a small smile before he closed them again.

-o-o-o-

"Emily," Nolan called her name and rushed towards the curtained off area.

Emily shot a look at the person attending her, clearly not her first one since her arrival, "I will give you 3 minutes. Do not get up again." The small dark haired woman shot him a look, "Do not let her get up."

"Someone hasn't been a good girl," Nolan said with a relieved smirk seeing her fight was still intact, the next thing he knew he was using both hands to keep her sitting on the table, "What did she just say?!"

"They won't tell me anything about Daniel," her body stilled, her eyes went wide. "he was fine and then. Then he wasn't."

"Okay," Nolan nodded still with his hands on her arms, "I'll go find out. You stay here. Jack heard the call, but couldn't get away. Rookie cop," Nolan smiled, "do you want me to call-"

"Can you please just go find out about Daniel?"

"No moving," he ordered.

"Just-Fine," she promised.

"Go now," Nolan ordered the dark haired woman's return as he walked away from Emily's curtain. "I need you to point me towards Daniel Grayson," Nolan said approaching the station.

"And how are you related-"

"I am the person who is stopping the woman that he promised to love, honor and obey until death do they part from tearing through this ER, now where the hell is he?" This wasn't normally his approach, but he had no energy for niceties after getting that call from Jack.

"Down the hall, two doors on the right, unless they've taken him for testing. His doctor's on his way in."

"He was unconscious at the scene, he hasn't been seen by a doctor?"

"ER doctors have been with him, it was in his chart that his primary wanted to be called immediately."

"Wonder why," Nolan muttered under his breath as he walked away. "Thank you," he called out and raised his hand.

The team surrounding Daniel shot Nolan a look as he walked into the room. Nolan stood by the door, his hands lifted in peace, "Not here to get in your way. I just need to find out how he's doing."

"Emily," Daniel's voice was strained.

"I told you," the nurse smiled down at him, "I told you the woman you came in with is fine."

"Yea well no one has told her anything," Nolan gave them an unamused smile.

"Nolan," the pain was evident in Daniel's voice.

The nurse stepped back to let Nolan go to Daniel's side. Nolan forced a smile, "Okay the hospital three times in one summer. There are better ways to get Emily to baby you."

"How is she?" Daniel asked with closed eyes, every breath painful to take.

"Being difficult so fine." Nolan gave a look over to the doctor, "And Daniel?"

"We're taking him for a head CT now. Severe concussion at least. Slurred speech, unconscious at least 6 minutes at the scene, sensitivity to light, his speech has already recovered, which is a good sign. No signs of internal bleeding. We're going to x-ray his ribs, the impact from the airbags and the accident have left them pretty bruised, there could be hairline fractures we can't feel. X-ray his right ankle, there's a significant amount of swelling, we're hoping it's just a sprain, again pretty common from a car accident, trying to get the car to stop. The doctor let out a brief, light laugh, "Mr. Grayson appears to have been incredibly lucky or unlucky this summer, depending on how you look at it."

"Good to know. Might have been nice if anyone thought to mention that to the woman he was shot trying to save earlier this summer," he gave then an annoyed smile. "Feel better Danny."

Daniel's hand lifted up in response.

Nolan walked back down the short corridor to the curtained off area Emily was in. Emily was still seated, but talking to Jack.

"Looks like Danny boy will be fine. They're taking him for testing," Nolan announced before anything else. "You got here fast Jack."

"I had to get permission to leave my post."

"Ah the life of a civil servant. Directing traffic?" Nolan didn't wait for a response, "Have you actually been examined yet?"

"No," the dark haired woman answered him from behind.

"Sorry Norah," Jack smiled.

"Yes we are very sorry Norah. Emily is going to sit or lay or whatever you want her to do. If she doesn't we'll come back and duct tape her to the table," Nolan smiled at her.

"You heard them," Norah smiled at Emily.

"Daniel's okay?" Emily asked.

"Yea Ems," he kissed her on the head, unable to resist the urge for physical affection after the harrowing 15 minutes it had been from getting Jack's call and being unable to reach Emily on the phone to seeing her, "he's fine. Now let's make sure you're okay. We'll be right out here," Nolan smiled at her as the curtains were closing them out.

"What the hell happened tonight?" Jack pulled Nolan off to the side.

"I have no idea, did you get anything from Emily?"

"Same story she told the cops," Jack nodded at the two cops waiting around to talk to Emily and Daniel, they nodded back. "She was asleep. Daniel said the road was empty, then there was a car behind them, didn't see anything about it aside from the color when it hit them from the side."

"So this could be a drunk drivier?" Nolan questioned hopefully.

"Or set up to look that way. It's a holiday weekend. Best time for it. We have had no proof that Malcolm Black has figured out Emily is David's daughter. Kate came-"

"Maybe she lied. She did a lot of that. Emily said you guys were at the crab boil."

Nolan nodded.

"Daniel was taking the most direct way home, it wouldn't have been hard for them to figure out that route. Be waiting for them on that road." Jack sighed, "Anything eventful happen?"

"They were disgusting together," Nolan gave a look, "there was...ugh."

Jack laughed.

"No it really wasn't funny. It was sickening. I wasn't the only one that thought so. We ran into Sara."

"Sara from the Stowaway?" Jack's brows narrowed.

"Yes ex-mistress Sara."

"How was that?"

"She was appalled and shocked, it was nice for someone aside from Victoria to feel that. I felt an immediate kinship with her," Nolan nodded.

"She didn't make any threats?"

"Sara is about as vicious as a kitten. It was like telling a little kid that Santa isn't real when she found out Daniel tried to save Emily."

"You know he did, he didn't try," Jack's brows furrowed once more.

"You shot Kate."

"That extra minute. That distraction. Emily would have been dead before I got to her. Emily was on the ground. She couldn't get up."

"No positive statements about Daniel Grayson," Nolan closed his eyes.

"Fine so back to Sara."

"She ran off when she saw them. Daniel ran after her, talked her into coming back. We saw her again maybe an hour, 45 minutes before we left. She made a very on point statement about it being more believable that Daniel would watch Emily die with a smile rather than save her then told them they deserved each other. I think she left after that. I didn't see her again."

"That's somewhere for the cops to start, buy you some time to figure out if it was Black."

"You're going to red herring Sara? Hasn't that girl been through enough, she dated Daniel."

"It would be more suspicious if I didn't tell them about this. Stay with Emily," Jack nodded at the curtain.

-o-o-o-

"I don't care if you think it's necessary, I want it done," Nolan turned for the harsh tone as he sat with Emily waiting for her to be taken for a CT.

"That's Daniel's doctor," Emily said going to stand.

"Stay," Nolan ordered once more holding her in place.

"Sorry," Kevin said walking over with a smile.

"How is Daniel?"

"Incredibly lucky. I just want to do a few more tests. I'm not willing to take a wait and see approach with someone who had sepsis a month ago. If anything comes up I'm taking him to New York."

"They're doing their best," Jack commented, "it's a busy night."

The townie and weekender viewed each other with obvious disdain.

"Okay here's what we know for sure so far." He took the no BS approach with Emily after dealing with her the prior month, "Severe concussion, the slurring, losing consciousness, sensitivity to light, the pain. Incredibly scary and there could continue to be side effects from that, but most people recover fine with rest. I had the neurologist look at the scans, he agrees we have no reason to worry. Bruised ribs primarily on the side of the impact, the airbag and the impact, his left side took a beating, but there are no breaks. Breathing is pretty painful for him right now, it's just going to take time and breathing exercises, so we don't run any risk of pneumonia. His hip and side are probably going to be pretty sore as well, luckily I don't think he's noticed that yet. His right ankle is pretty swollen, I'm going to go in and wrap it. No breaks again just rest. I don't think he's going to need PT for it. I'm going to do my best to rule out internal injuries, which there has been no evidence of and I'm getting him back in the x-ray for his wrists. I'm not going to wait a week for us to figure out if he has a hairline fracture. I have not had anyone in the hospital this often under the age of 70 in a long time."

"Thank you for coming," Emily gave him a relieved smile.

"Thankfully I stayed in the Hamptons rather than leave yesterday with my family. I was at a barbeque at the doctor's house that I practice part time at, I commandeered his nurse. She's sitting with Daniel."

His mistress whose house was further inland, which had been the cause of his delay last time as Emily discovered after she investigated him after Daniel's run in with sepsis.

"How are you doing?" Kevin asked with a smile.

"I'm fine."

"Bruised ribs and a concussion," Nolan practically rolled his eyes, "we're waiting for her to get a CT."

"I'm going to see about that, let Daniel enjoy a few more minutes in the dark before wrapping his ankle. May I look at your chart?"

"Please do," Nolan told him.

"You have my permission," Emily said with a hand wave.

"I like him," Nolan smiled.

"Really?" Jack was not impressed.

"His practice is in New York?" Nolan asked Emily.

"He's changed it to two days out here a week since his partner here got a new nurse."

"I'm not his wife," Nolan shrugged and started looking up the doctor on his phone as Emily softly talked to Jack about what he had heard from the officers.

They all paused when they heard that voice, "I do not understand why I was not called immediately when my son was brought in," Victoria's voice announced her presence in the ER as she was being followed by a nervous nurse.

"Mrs. Grayson," Dr. Elridge turned as he put down Emily's chart.

"Dr. Elridge," Victoria smiled, "how is Daniel?"

David saw Emily and was only stopped in his approach as her eyes went wide. He did his best to turn his attention to the doctor.

"We're still running tests, but it looks as if Daniel will be fine."

"Did you tell Louise?" Emily whispered to Nolan.

"Just told her I had something I needed to take care of."

"Alverez," Emily spoke her thoughts aloud.

"I do not understand why I wasn't called Daniel was brought in nearly an hour ago. I'm his next of kin. I should have been contacted."

"When Daniel was brought in, he was coherent and able to give informed consent and you are not his emergency contact."

"I know Daniel had his sister Charlotte listed, but she's-"

"Actually after Daniel's last hospitalization after seeing you and Ms. Thorne together, I suggested Daniel decide who he wanted making decisions for him in case he was unable to. So the hospital staff would be able to do their jobs efficiently."

"I'm sorry, you can't possibly mean-"

"That Daniel chose Emily over you?" Nolan quipped with a grin. "Pretty sure that's what he meant Vicky."

"Mrs. Grayson, why don't you go get a cup of coffee and go to the waiting room. I need to take Daniel for more tests and he isn't up for visitors yet."

"Doctor," Victoria smiled.

"Now I need to see about Ms. Thorne, I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to have to excuse myself. The waiting room is through those doors."

"I think I'll just step outside," Victoria smiled, "I have a few calls to make." She turned and smiled, "I'm glad to see you looking so well Emily. David?"

David's mouth opened, "Right. We'll be nearby if you need us."

"I'll walk out with you, I have to get Carl from the sitter's," Jack nodded before saying his farewells.

Kevin let out a sigh as Victoria walked away, "How much do you want to bet she's calling every hospital board member she knows?"

"Intuitive," Nolan nodded.

"Impressive handling," Emily smiled as he had the penlight in her eyes.

"I have a wife and a mother-in-law. Eventually just becomes like background noise."

"Are you accepting new patients?" Nolan asked.

Kevin smiled, "And that is why I'm not afraid of anything your mother-in-law could do. Loyalty breeds loyalty."

"I wasn't kidding about new patients."

He laughed, "I'm not exactly dressed to be giving out business cards." He was in shorts and a loud Hawaiian shirt.

"That's okay, I don't need one," Nolan waved his phone. "So new patients?"

"For Nolan Ross," he smiled, "definitely." Kevin looked at Emily, "So did you actually sleep through the accident or were you asleep and then unconscious?"

Emily opened her mouth, then shut it before giving a slight tilt of her head.

"That's what I thought."

"I might have woken up for a second."

"You have a concussion and no concussion is the minor thing we like to pretend they are. Your brain took a pretty decent slam and if we think you were unconscious after the accident and considering Daniel said it took several tries to get you to awaken, we think we can safely assume that's what happened, it means you should be monitored."

"In the hospital?" Emily and Nolan overlapped each other with their words.

"I'm keeping Daniel. I can pull strings to do a male female room. I'd rather have you in a bed than a hospital chair," he smiled. "Okay you are going for your CT," Kevin nodded at her, "I'm going to go wrap Daniel's ankle and hopefully get you two up in a room in an hour."

"I might be in love," Nolan said as they watched Kevin walk away.

-o-o-o-

Daniel felt her hand within his as he awoke, "Em."

"I'm here."

"How are you?"

"A lot better than you."

Daniel's lips twitched up in a smile.

"Were you going to tell me you named me your health care proxy?"

"You get to pull the plug on me. Seems only fair."

"Daniel."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing go back to sleep."

"Be here when I wake up?" Daniel's voice was already fading out.

"Yea, I'll be right here."

"Please don't let my mother in. My brain might explode."

Emily laughed softly as she continued to hold his hand.

-o-o-o-

It was halfway to morning when they were settled into a room and she and Daniel settled into sleep, the moment they were left on their own.

Daylight broke early as it did in the summer and Daniel's groans got Emily to her feet to pull the curtain surrounding his bed.

"No don't," he asked with his eyes still closed.

She made the further walk to the windows closing the blinds.

"Thank you," he said with the fingers from his right hand massaging his temple, "I don't remember the hospital being so bright."

"Probably because you didn't have a severe concussion."

"Explain to me how athletes keep doing this to themselves over and over."

"Daniel."

He stopped her, "Can we fight later when my brain isn't trying to explode out of my eyeballs?"

Emily remained quiet for a second and then softly asked, "How'd you get out of the car?"

"I climbed," he opened his eyes to look at her in concern, wondering if her memory had lapsed.

"Your ankle is a mess."

He smirked, "I did not know that until I landed on in. At least I caught myself. My fragile male ego probably couldn't have survived face planting twice."

"Really gotta stop trying to be the hero. You keep hurting yourself."

He began to laugh, but his smile quickly turned to a grimace and his hand clutched his side.

"Your ribs," Emily rushed towards him.

"Now is not the time to start being funny," he smiled up at her.

"Go back to sleep."


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I am admitting defeat in trying to control the size of this story. My apologies to those who began this like myself with the thought and hope that it would be short and quick. Thanks for reading and all the great reviews.

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><p>"I'm ready to go home," Daniel spoke before the doctor could as he gave a rundown on their medical progress.<p>

"I feel comfortable medically clearing you both to be discharged provided you have a competent party to watch you," Dr. Elridge said in the early afternoon after Daniel had pretty much slept the morning away while Emily anxiously waited news.

"That would be me," Nolan said with a smile, he and his laptop had been in the room for most of the day.

"I'm not going to be at the office tomorrow, but the other doctor has been brought up to speed on your cases. So I'm going to set up an appointment for you both to come in. Do you have a time preference and I think it's safe to say you both know you aren't driving until you're cleared?"

"I'll make sure they get there," Nolan smiled, "just give me the appointment time."

Kevin nodded, "Now I don't normally say this to patients, but you really might want to look into bubble wrap. Thank god you were driving a high end car. Switch to the hardtop. I'll be back on Friday, depending on what Dr. Radner says, I either want to see you both then or on Monday."

-o-o-o-

"You okay there Danny?" Nolan asked after several minutes of driving as he and Emily had gone back and forth on ways to track down whoever had hit them just as they had done quietly and quickly in the hospital.

"Peachy," Daniel replied from the backseat with sunglasses on and a tee shirt and sweatpants that Nolan had brought over. Nolan having to put on and lace up his sneakers in the hospital had been an indignity Daniel hadn't reacted well to and his mood hadn't changed since Emily walked out of the bathroom to see that.

"Sure? You're pretty quiet and sadly you are rarely quiet."

"Well talking requires breathing and I'm trying my best not to do that," Daniel gave an angry, sarcastic smirk that Nolan saw from the review mirror.

"We should-"

"Hey wanna know what would be great Nolan? If you could just stop talking for five minutes. It's like a nail being driven into my brain every time you open your mouth."

"Well that was uncalled for," Nolan shot Emily a look.

Daniel groaned in misery.

"He has a concussion," Emily reminded Nolan softly.

"So he hit his head hard enough to make him into a bigger asshole than when he's drinking? How is that possible?"

Emily shushed him.

"Did you just," Nolan loudly whispered.

Emily's eyes went wide and she pointed at the road.

-o-o-o-

"Mama Grayson just spotted us," Nolan said as Victoria's car turned around in the road while they were a block away from the manor.

"Oh god no," Daniel's tired voice once more emerged from the backseat.

"I will get rid of her," Emily promised.

"Jack's here," Nolan pointed out as they pulled up to the front of the house.

"Even better," was Daniel's exhausted response from the backseat.

Emily didn't allow her bruised ribs to slow her exit from the car, saying her hello to Jack as she opened the back door for a much slower Daniel.

She went to offer her him a hand and he shot her a look and instead slowly climbed out of the car on his own steam, biting back the groans she could see in his face as she held his cane.

"What exactly was that little stunt you pulled at the hospital, Emily?" Victoria said as Daniel stood by the car before attempting to walk.

"What exactly are you talking about?"

"Having me barred from the hospital?"

"Daniel wanted to rest and didn't want visitors."

"I'm not a visitor, I'm his mother, which I can understand you'd have no concept of-" Victoria moved quickly as she saw Daniel starting to walk, "Let me help you."

Daniel's free hand tensely flared out at his side, "I'm fine."

"Daniel, you're hardly fine," Victoria's voice softened.

"He's a little testy today," Nolan said standing by the front door, which he had opened.

"Have you learned anything?" Victoria asked Jack.

"No cameras, no witnesses. We've been checking with auto body shops. So far nothing."

"You know who this is," Victoria looked at Emily. "Haven't you taken enough from me? Pascal, my fortune, my standing in society. Hasn't Daniel done enough to repay whatever debt you think he owes you?"

"Mom."

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Can't you two just let this go? Haven't we all inflicted enough damage on each other? There has to be some point where this just stops."

"I just want you safe," Victoria smiled at him.

Daniel's head shook slowly, "I'm going to bed."

"Let me," Jack went to try to help Daniel whose gait was slow using a cane on his right side for his ankle when his entire left side was throbbing.

"I've got it," Daniel snapped.

"Daniel is going to have a child that is never going to know him if you keep this up," Victoria said to Emily, "you of all people should know how unfair that is to an innocent child."

"Victoria," David scolded as he arrived at the house, "thanks for the text," he nodded at Nolan.

"The enemies Emily has made are not the type to give up easily."

"Enemies she made trying to clear my name."

"Your name is clear, but my son's life is still in jeopardy."

"Yea probably from walking up the stairs," David said reaching Daniel as he approached the staircase. His arm went around Daniel's better side, taking the majority of Daniel's weight onto himself.

Victoria began her speech again, "We don't know whose-"

"You know this could just be a drunk driver," Jack pointed out.

"With this one that's hardly likely," Victoria gave Emily side eye.

"Maybe it was Charlotte after me," Emily turned her hatred on Victoria, "that's what you said last time. Maybe they can't find the driver because she's already back in rehab? Weekend furlough do they get those?"

"Do not bring Charlotte into this, you have caused her enough suffering-"

"Enough," David firmly called out as he was halfway up the stairs with Daniel. "Go home Victoria."

"I will when you bring Daniel down those stairs and she agrees to leave him alone."

"I am going to bed, my bed. I don't care where the fuck you go as long as it isn't in my house. Goodbye Mother."

"Daniel," Victoria went to follow him up the stairs, but Emily blocked her way.

"Please just go home Victoria," David quietly asked.

"I will be back when you're feeling better," Victoria gave a sad smile up to Daniel.

Emily waited until Victoria walked out to head over to the door, shutting and locking it before turning her attention to set the alarm. "I'm going to get Daniel a bottle of water and make sure he's settled upstairs."

"I missed lunch," Nolan said following her.

-o-o-o-

"I hate this," Emily heard Daniel say as she neared the doorway of their room.

"I had a few concussions in jail. Trust me what you're feeling right now could be worse."

Emily walked in and couldn't help, but smile as she saw her father kneeling on the floor removing Daniel's shoes, the room as dark as the curtains allowed. "Thanks Dad."

David smiled.

"Back to our original sides of the bed," Daniel told her with a trace of humor in his voice.

"Well that's a plus at least you keep getting hurt on opposite sides," David smiled.

"One way to look at it," Emily shrugged and walked in as her father stood, "I brought you water."

"Thank you."

She untwisted the top and put it on the nightstand.

"Do you want to change?" David questioned as he stood.

"I am staying in this until I can change myself."

Emily and David's brows narrowed.

"Nolan of all people changed me."

Emily had only walked out of the bathroom in time to see Nolan tying Daniel's sneakers, they had both been oddly quiet about it.

"Nolan's a good guy."

"If your last name is Clarke."

David laughed softly.

"Dad, do you mind if Daniel and I have a few minutes alone?"

"No," David smiled then cupped the side of Emily's head and placed a kiss on her temple, "I'm so glad you're okay. You too, Daniel." David gave him a brief head shake as he went to leave the room.

"You going to take advantage of me now that your dad is gone?"

"That would probably kill you."

"Good way to die," Daniel's lips teased up.

"You know your mom was right."

"Whenever you and my mother agree on something it's terrible for me," his lips once more lifted up.

"This isn't a joke Daniel. You can't keep doing this as some misplaced sense of duty, trying to redeem yourself."

"This is my life Amanda. You and my mother and done making the decisions in it."

"You don't come back from death Daniel. You're here and then you're not. And it's just over and there are no more chances. And you won't get to be a father and you won't get to be a brother and they're just going to be left with that and that hole doesn't go away."

"My father died on the side of the road Amanda. He was a liar and a thief, he caused the deaths of..." Daniel's head shook, "And he was a coward. I learned it all from him. That won't be what I teach my child."

"Dan-"

"I'm really tired Amanda and pretty nauseous, so maybe we can just shelve this for later."

She nodded slowly, "I'm sorry. Kevin said to let you rest."

-o-o-o-

David left shortly after Emily came downstairs, lingering with a hug, telling her that he didn't want to let her go. She had to wipe away the tears before returning to Nolan and Jack in the kitchen.

"You really aren't going to tell me where she is?" Jack paused as he was slicing a tomato.

"She is inland like you thought," Nolan smiled from behind his laptop.

"What's going on?" Emily questioned.

"Nolan won't tell me where Sara is."

"If you want the information, you should get it through the appropriate channels," Nolan smiled, "you said it yourself. She's buying us time."

"She won't buy us forever."

"The cops can't find her?" Emily ate a slice of cheese from the deli packet Jack had out.

"Friends confirmed she left before the fireworks. Roommate doesn't really know her, says she has a boyfriend inland that's all she knows. She's not scheduled to work until Thursday."

"What about her mother?" Emily asked.

"Sara called her after seeing you and Daniel. Sounded like her mom was pretty harsh. Sara hung up and turned off her phone."

"Aside from the white Rav4, she's being a fabulous red herring," Nolan smiled.

"Don't let Daniel hear you call her that," Emily said working with Jack to assemble their sandwiches.

Nolan laughed, "Notice how Ems has no problem with this?"

"I was really nice to her and she still kissed my fiance."

"And then she became a dirty mistress," Nolan smiled.

"While I was in the house," Emily cut through the sandwich so the knife slammed into the plate.

"Easy Ems. We might think you care," Nolan gave her a pointed look.

"It's the principle."

-o-o-o-

Hours later Nolan opened the door to David holding a plate wrapped in foil.

"People bring food when their neighbors have been in the hospital, right?" David smiled.

Nolan grinned, "They even stay for a cup of coffee when the food is dessert." Nolan could smell the brown sugar goodness wafting up from the plate.

David walked into the kitchen with a hesitant smile, "Chocolate chip still your favorite?"

Emily mind flashed to being young, the laughter in the kitchen, the messes they made. She hated chocolate chip cookies for years, every time she smelled them, they had left her feeling gutting. "They are."

"Gooey," David smiled, "just how you like them."

She smiled again.

"She couldn't stand waiting, she'd insist we check them every minute. It's a wonder you never ended up with E. Coli."

"I didn't know you could cook David," Nolan said peeling back the foil.

"I was a single father. Amanda probably ate macaroni and cheese and hot dogs more than they recommend."

"Didn't do her any harm," Jack smiled.

"Class moms didn't agree with you," David smiled, "send your child to school with peanut butter and jelly, chips and an apple every day for two months and they gang up on you."

"Schools around here don't even allow peanut butter," Jack said passing the plate to Emily.

"Times were different," David shrugged, "the moms were actually pretty great. Made sure I knew it was picture day, do her hair when anything was being photographed. I don't think men's fingers are designed to do a french braid."

Nolan laughed.

"They wanted to make sure I didn't feel left out because my mom was dead. Only she wasn't."

"Amanda, I-"

"I get it," she nodded, "I met her."

"I couldn't risk her ever getting close to you again. I couldn't give her that chance. You mean everything to me."

She smiled.

"You still do, which is why I think you should disappear for awhile." Victoria's words weighed on him as they did his daughter.

"What?" Emily stopped breaking apart the cookie that she was eating piece by piece.

"I don't know if your accident was Black, but after Kate it's not safe for you to be this close to me. If she hadn't died, maybe I could have resolved this with him, but I can't risk someone finding out who you are or you getting hurt because he's coming after me."

"Which is why we're trying to find him and take him down."

"Amanda, Daniel was right. There has to be a point when it's enough. I can't go through losing you again."

"You won't."

"You and Daniel almost died last month, you could have died last night. I am grateful for everything you did to clear my name, but I wish you hadn't. I wish you had been able to let this go and had a normal life."

"Finally," Daniel said slowly walking into the room, "someone with common sense."

"You give that up eventually with Ems," Nolan rolled his eyes, "you just sound like a broken record after awhile."

"Amanda," Daniel forcefully corrected, "she is Amanda Clarke, David Clarke's daughter, Charlotte Clarke's sister. You've been Emily Thorne so long, do you even have any idea who you are anymore?" Daniel turned to her.

The two younger men's eyes went as they watched Emily tense.

"I was just telling Amanda, she should disappear for awhile," David informed him.

"Looks like your father and I are completely on the same page."

"I'm not abandoning you again," Emily's voice was firm as she looked at her father.

"You didn't abandon me, you were a little girl that was lied to. I want so much more for you than this. Living your life to protect me, waiting to be attacked. You deserve more than this. Just please think about it."

She hated fighting with her father when their time was always so limited, "fine, but I'm not going to change my mind.

"I should go," David nodded. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do," she smiled.

"Thanks for driving last night," David smiled and placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder as he walked out of the room.

Daniel's lips twitched up with a smile as Emily shot her father a look.

-o-o-o-

David left and they managed to have a few minutes of normalcy as Emily made Daniel a sandwich.

"You gonna feed him too," Nolan questioned as Emily put the sandwich before Daniel, along with the drink and napkin she had already placed before him. "The sore wrists, the arm. You know his head hurts, you should probably chew it first and then spit it into his mouth like a mama bird."

"That's enough Nolan," she shot her best friend a tired look, "do you need anything else?" Emily asked Daniel.

"Nolan to leave?"

Nolan responded, "The thanks I get after I ch-"

Daniel lifted his hand.

Nolan looked over at Jack, "Had to strip him bare like a baby."

"I missed a fun morning at the hospital," Jack smiled.

"Tons of fun," Daniel smiled as he lifted his sandwich, "thanks Amanda," he said before taking a bite.

The kitchen became awkward as Daniel ate alone, he only lasted through three bites before he spoke, silence was less enjoyable than he expected, "You guys can talk around me."

"Around a Grayson?" Nolan's eyebrows lifted.

"Daniel, I don't think-"

"He's right," Jack supported him, "you left me in the dark for years. This effects Daniel's life as well-"

"It wouldn't if he would just leave," Emily quickly retorted.

"So my mom can finish you off before Malcolm Black? You really think she wouldn't hesitate to send him after you again if I wasn't here?"

"His daughter did in your-" Nolan was silenced by the look she shot him.

"You're right and we've all been fools for thinking that we could find him before he could get to us. We've just been hoping that his limited resources would keep us safe, but last night proved we were wrong."

"Could still be a drunk driver," Nolan pointed out.

"When do things that normal happen in our lives?" Emily turned to him.

Nolan nodded, "So yea it's Black or someone else you've pissed off."

"You need to leave with Carl," Emily turned to Jack.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"You shot a sociopath's daughter. I don't think he cares that it was ruled a justified shooting."

"Emily, I'm not about to-"

"I need to deal with this. She came to kill me. He had my father for ten years. This is my problem."

"Not abandoning you, Ems. Not after all this." Nolan was serious. He paused, "Of course if I had a time machine, I would have just given you the money, sent you to therapy and burned the journals."

Emily's head tilted to the side in a beginning rage. She took a breath, "I need to go after him. You have to have found something, Nolan-"

"Do you hear yourself?" Daniel stopped eating. "You're willing to blindly go after this guy. This is going to end up with you in a body bag."

"I hate agreeing with him," Nolan's brow furrowed.

"What if we take David out of the picture?" Jack questioned from the side.

"What?" Emily turned to him.

"Kate was here to deal with David, what if David isn't here and Black has limited resources. We keep him looking for David, buys Nolan more time to find him."

"I just got my father back."

"Come on Ems," Nolan's voice was soft, "You don't really have him back. It's like you're a mistress daughter."

"No," her head shook, "out of the question. I won't lose him."

"He was someone's prisoner for a decade because he thought it was keeping you safe," Daniel reminded her. "Really think he would have left if he knew this was going to happen?"

-o-o-o-

"So is this really the only game plan you guys have?" Daniel had left after his lunch along with Jack and had awoken when the doorbell signaled Jack's return hours later. Hours in which, Nolan and Emily had been left alone to formulate a plan. They were once more in the kitchen and Emily had once more placed food in front of him, only this time one of Nolan's assistants had brought Italian.

"Why is he speaking?" Nolan asked with his laptop before him.

"He gets a say because he took a bullet," Daniel's eyes were wide as he got caught up on their plans as they recapped them for Jack.

"It barely grazed you," Nolan blew him off.

"Amanda, you can't just go after this guy. His daughter almost killed you and she was one person. I'm assuming he has security, even if he is a little broker than normal."

"I'm not going after him physically," she corrected him.

"You're going to take on a violent criminal, who held your father captive for a decade, sent his daughter after you to kill and what?"

"Technically he sent Katherine to get back what my father stole."

"Killing Emily was just going to be a lucky bonus," Nolan sarcastically added.

Emily gave him a look.

"You're failing at tracking him down so now you want to lure him out?" Daniel once more looked at the group of them. "The Scooby Gang had more people. You need to get the authorities involved."

"Kate was FBI," Emily countered.

"You guys seriously cannot let her do this," Daniel looked at the other two men.

"He seriously thinks we have any control over what you do?" Nolan looked amazed.

"There has to be a point when enough is enough. Manda, you can't die to save your father when that is the one thing he's been trying to stop. Do you have any idea how fucked up that is?"

"I'm not-"

"He has a point," Nolan quickly brought his eyes back to his laptop. "I think the concussion knocked his brain into working," he muttered.

"I need a drink," Daniel said running a hand through his hair and standing.

"You have a severe concussion, you cannot drink," Emily's voice was firm.

"I need to at least be out of this room while you plan your death."

-o-o-o-

A half hour passed before Emily reheated Daniel's food and went in search of him with it.

Minutes passed before Nolan and Jack heard the screaming begin from across the house.

"He probably knocked back half a liter by now," Nolan rolled his eyes.

"He's right," Jack sighed, "this is basically a death trap."

"I'm doing my best," Nolan defended himself.

"I know you are. This summer started and I thought it was all going to be different."

"Same story, new villain." Nolan remarked.

Jack groaned, "I need to get Carl. Try to figure out some way of stopping her."

"And for my next trick, I will walk on water," Nolan smiled. "Night."

"Night."

Jack walked out into the foyer at the same time they did, as Emily was walking away from Daniel.

"You have a death wish," Emily said heading towards Jack, not looking back at the man slowly chasing after her.

"I have a death with? Have you looked in a mirror Amanda?"

Emily whipped back to him, "Do you have any idea what it's like to live with this Daniel? Amanda, Declan, Aiden. They're gone and they don't come back and I can't have anymore on me." She turned back and quickly walked pass Jack as she headed towards Nolan.

Daniel sighed and sat down on the stairs.

"It's odd to hear you call her Amanda."

"I need some fuckin truth in this world.."

"Yea," Jack's mouth tensed, "I can understand that."

"She's buried her. She's spent so long being Emily Thorne..." Daniel's head shook, "she can't stay Emily Thorne forever. She can't die Emily Thorne," Daniel suddenly realized what he said, "I'm sorry I-"

Jack lifted his hand to stop the apology. "She did not come back the same girl I knew. A lot happened to her."

"That's an understatement," Daniel smiled.

Jack laughed. "I'm not going to let her do this."

"Have a plan to stop her?"

"I think so," Jack nodded. "Feel better."

"Thanks," Daniel nodded back.

"Can you get up?" Jack asked as he reached the door.

"Yea not going to be dignified though."

Jack laughed again as he walked out the door and grimaced as he heard Daniel's groans through the closed door.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Middle part of this was a smidge challenging. I hope it turned out okay. Thanks for the reviews last week. I'm hoping that the drop off in them was just because there was such a limited amount of Emily and Daniel and not that you're losing interest in the fic. Um yell if it starts to suck? Pretty please? Lol. Yell with something constructive, so I at least have clue where to start to fix it.

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><p>Emily was silent in bed for a few minutes after she listened to the hiss of pain Daniel let out while shifting. The room was once more dark and they were once more alone. Only this wasn't like the last 3 nights they had spent in this room together and it wasn't just due to their physical injuries that they were on opposite sides of the bed once more. "You don't get do-overs in life. We can't just go back and erase what we've done."<p>

"We can do better though," he answered her quiet voice with his own.

"I buried Aiden a year ago." She took a breath, "My father's name was cleared, we were finally going to be able to start our lives together. I couldn't walk away and give him that life until it was done. Then he was just gone. He never got that life he wanted. It was just over before it even began. He had been happy and living a normal life without me, then he died because of me."

"Manda-"

"You just become this should have. He should have, he could have, he would have. It's just all of the potential that was there just stops. He would have been a great husband...father. You can be a good man without doing this Daniel. You're right. You can do better, but not if you're not here. You won't be a good father, you won't be a good brother. You're just going to be gone."

"What do you think is going to happen to you?"

"I can handle myself."

"Really. Didn't look like that when you were on the ground. Hell. I almost killed you."

"Dan-"

"Walk away and I have no choice, but to walk," Daniel reminded her.

"Not gonna-"

"Happen," he finished, "I know. Same for me. Seriously though. Stop acting like you're a god. You might manipulate people, but they still have free will. You're not a god. And I'm not going to die some hero's death like you keep imagining. I'm still a Grayson after all."

-o-o-o-

"What are you guys doing here?" Jack's eyes were wide as Emily, Daniel and Nolan walked into the station following their doctor's appointment.

"Babysitting the grumpy toddlers," Nolan answered him.

"Detective Parker asked us to come in," Emily clarified, "FBI wanted a conference call."

"He's out. You should go back to the house, I'll meet you there."

"What's going on?" Daniel asked.

"Emily," Ben said walking over, "I didn't know you were-"

"Parker told them to come in and didn't remember to cancel," Jack sighed.

"The FBI-" Emily prompted.

"Um," Jack sighed again.

"Did they figure out who hit us?" Emily asked.

"Why don't you talk to Daniel, while Emily and I go for a walk?" Ben suggested.

"Whatever it is, you can tell us together." Daniel quickly deflected that option.

"Sara's being brought in." Jack kept his voice low.

"Sara? My Sara?" Daniel's eyes went wide. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how much I already put her through?" He turned to Emily after seeing her non-reaction, "You knew about this?"

"They need to rule her out as a suspect," Emily calmly defended herself.

"She wouldn't-"

"She's already confessed," Jack quietly interjected.

"What?" Daniel's face fell.

"Roommate said she was dating someone from inland. She didn't seem like the type to use a dating site. You date other locals or people from the city around here. Unless she already knew someone inland. I pulled up Patrick's DMV records to see where he's living now, he drives a blue Camry."

"You're bringing her in for questioning because her brother drives a blue car? Patrick's gone after my car before you didn't think about bringing him in?"

"He's upstate, they switched vehicles because he was going camping," Ben explained.

"Detective Parker went over with the West Sayville PD. There was no answer at the door. Garage had windows they could see the damage to the car."

"No," Daniel head shook, "she's protecting-"

"I don't think so Daniel," Jack softly spoke. "Look we need to get out of here before she comes in. We can discuss all of this at the house."

"I think that's a good idea." Emily answered.

Daniel turned at Emily's coldness.

It wasn't a good idea. As they walked out, Detective Parker was leading Sara up the path.

Her eyes were bloodshot from days of crying, the look on her face was desperate as Daniel's was horrified.

"How," she cried, "just tell me how I could have ever been so blind?"

"Sara," Daniel's voice was defeated as he looked at her.

"How did I believe you? Why couldn't I see who you were?"

"I'm-"

Jack blocked Daniel with his arm as he took a step towards Sara. "Don't," he ordered.

"Get them out of here Porter," the detective ordered him.

"Daniel," Emily spoke quietly.

He turned to her.

"Let them figure this out," her eyes softened for him.

He was about to nod his agreement when Sara spoke again, "You were never really going to let him go were you, the divorce-"

"You tried to kill us because I called your mother because you were sleeping with my husband?"

"Porter," Detective Parked barked.

"Let's go," Jack quickly placed his hand on Emily's arm and led her away as the detective moved Sara towards the station.

Daniel was left staring at a tree unable to look at either of the women.

"This was certainly unexpected," Nolan spoke from next to him.

Daniel turned his gaze towards Nolan.

"Why don't Jack and I take you home Daniel?" Ben suggested.

"Why don't you stay the hell out of this," Daniel's attitude was barely contained, "I've already gone through this with him," he nodded at Jack talking to Emily by Nolan's car. "I don't have the energy to go through it again with you." Daniel smirked, "Let me save you the trouble. She's like an iceberg. That's just the tip of her. You think you have some idea what's beneath the surface and the next thing you know your life is in shambles."

"I'd say he has a concussion, but he's actually just an ass," Nolan smiled at Ben.

-o-o-o-

"Should I stay?" Nolan asked as Daniel disappeared into the house as Emily remained in the foyer with him.

"No," she shook her head, "go try to..." Emily head shook. "I don't even know anymore."

Nolan gave her a weak smile, "Well plus side this means we have a little more time to figure out how to get to Malcolm Black."

Emily returned his faint smile.

"No one could have seen this coming Ems."

She gave him a small laugh, "Daniel, Charlotte, Sara..." Emily's head shook. "I keep almost being taken out by threats I never saw coming."

Nolan smirked, "Knew Charlotte had it in her, she's your sister after all."

Emily sighed.

"Plus side maybe this will finally get Daniel out of your hair."

"Maybe," Emily gave a quick shake of her head and another smile.

"Sure you don't want me to stay and deal with him?"

She gave a small smile, "Your presence doesn't exactly calm Daniel down."

"Guns are all locked up right?"

"Go," Emily rolled her eyes, "let me know if you come up with anything."

"Your wish is my command," he turned.

"Nolan."

He turned back.

"Thanks for all of this."

"Anytime." He started to walk again, then paused and turned back, "Though could we try not to make it anytime soon, I'm interviewing contractors to renovate the club."

"I'll do my best."

"All I can ask for with you."

-o-o-o-

"Not one word," one finger pointed out as Daniel held the glass of whiskey as he sat on the chair.

"It's your life," Emily gave a slight shrug as she walked into the room and headed to the bar retrieving a glass for herself.

"It is and I drove someone that loved me to try to kill me. I broke a sweet, innocent girl, not once, but twice."

"She was hardly that innocent Daniel," Emily said pouring her glass without emotion.

"Who are you?" His eyes narrowed, "What are you?"

"Am I supposed to feel sorry for the woman that purposefully ran us off the road? She could have killed us and probably meant to."

"Can you blame her?"

"I can understand why you would sympathize with her."

Daniel's mouth opened, then tightly closed. He brought the glass to his lips and took a sip. "You have no concept of what that feels like. To know that I did that to someone. I brought someone else that low. Someone that loved me and would have done anything for me."

"What do you want me to say Daniel?" Emily's stance shifted and she tilted her head looking at him.

"I don't know Em!" He flinched, "Amanda. I want you to feel something. Because she was a good person before she got dragged into all of this between us."

"You were engaged," she reminded him.

He let out a laugh, "You were sleeping with Aiden and planning to fake your death."

"Hardly public knowledge."

"Everyone saw something was wrong. I was the last one to catch on."

"Didn't I pay enough already for that?"

"Too much and I have to live with that. Don't ask me to live with this also. She did this because of me."

Emily sighed, "What do you want me to do Daniel? I can't cover this up. She already confessed."

"I don't know." He drained his glass. "Her life is destroyed because she loved me," he pushed himself up with a groan as he stood to get the bottle, "I'm completely a Grayson now. Aren't I?" He asked as he filled his glass.

-o-o-o-

"Loretta," Emily called out as she stepped out of her car as Sara's mother walked away from the station.

"Emily," she paused, the embarrassment and pain evident on her face. "I don't even. There are no words-"

"She seemed fine when we saw her. I mean she was angry, but-" Emily's head shook and her face fell.

"Oh Sweetheart, if I had any idea what-"

"They said she called you before, before she..." Emily was the picture of vulnerability as her head tilted, looking lost over what had happened.

"She wanted to know if I had heard about you and Daniel." Loretta's head shook, "How could you go back to him?"

"Daniel and I weren't always those people you saw last summer. At one point we really did care about each other."

"He took a bullet for you."

"He was willing to die for me," Emily's voice was soft and full of love.

Loretta's head shook, "I told Sara as much. I guess I shouldn't have."

"I love Daniel," Emily's voice cracked, "when Sara showed up last summer I panicked. I lost my family when I was young and Daniel was all I had." Tears welled up in her eyes, "My lie pushed him further towards her." Emily wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "I helped cause this because I couldn't stand the thought of losing him and I thought I was going to the other night."

"I am so sorry," Loretta placed a gentle hand on Emily's arm.

Emily covered the hand with her own, "We were just happy and having a good time and I didn't think about Sara and how she had to have felt seeing that."

"She says she didn't mean to. She was still in the parking lot when you left, then realized later she was behind you on the road. She wanted to get around you to to get away from-"

"Us," Emily voice was soft.

Loretta nodded, "She said she looked over and Daniel was looking at you and I know if she could just go back she would stop herself."

"I'm sure she would."

"She just wanted the prince to love her so badly," Loretta covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head, "and now she's thrown away her life. He almost kills her with a car, he got away scot-free. She's never going to come back from this."

"I've been her shoes, I've watched everything slipping away. I know what it's like to act in desperation and then have to live with it." Emily reached in her bag and pulled out a business card, "I want you to call this lawyer."

"We don't have the money-"

Emily shook her head and pressed the card into Loretta's hand, "I helped cause this, let me help fix it."

"I can't-"

"Daniel and I aren't going to make it if Sara loses her freedom over us. The lawyer will make sure she has a psychiatric evaluation and she'll get the help she needs."

"The prosecutor-"

"The lawyer will take care of it if Sara gets help."

"I don't know how to thank you," Loretta hugged Emily.

"You don't need to. Just take care of your family."

"And keep them away from yours?" Loretta pulled back with a knowing look.

Emily murmured and tilted her head, giving a small smile.

"You deserve better than him Sweetheart."

Emily let out a breath of a laugh.

"Emily," Ben called as he walked out of the police station.

Emily quickly turned towards him and then back to Loretta, "He's waiting for your call."

"Okay. You take care."

"You too," Emily smiled, then turned and waited for Ben to reach her.

"Was that just Sara Munello's mother?" Ben asked with a frown.

"Loretta," Emily nodded.

"You're friendly with your ex-husband's mistress' mother?" Ben viewed her with suspicion.

"Ex-mistress because of Loretta."

"Your husband cheated on you and instead of dumping him you broke up his relationship with his mistress?"

"It's complicated," Emily smiled at him.

"More like twisted."

"Been talking to Nolan?" Emily's head fell to the side as she smiled up at Ben.

"Daniel Grayson?"

"That sounded like a question."

"Why the hell would you ever go back to someone like him?"

"Daniel is trying-"

"He cheated on you and from what I've heard he's an ass."

"Both of those things are true," Emily leaned against her car.

"And you're with him..."

"I have no idea," Emily's head swayed.

"Good answer," Ben's tone was dry.

"There's a lot Daniel and I need to resolve. And there's a lot we need to get over and I don't know if we can. He wants to try and-"

"You're better than him."

"No I'm not," Emily pushed off her car, "but thanks for thinking I am. Don't forget, the pool on Saturday."

-o-o-o-

The following afternoon, the young ADA sat nervously across from Daniel and Emily in the sun room, the redheaded female had just told them of Sara's evaluation and was now nervously skating around what her boss had sent her to say.

"So she's not going to be charged?" Daniel inferred, glancing only with his eyes over at Emily.

"No...Uh. We could try, but based on the-"

"Daniel and I just want to put this behind us," Emily said taking his hand.

He smiled, "We both know Sara and know this-"

Emily finished when he paused, "We're glad she's getting the help she needed."

The young woman looked visibly relieved, "We'll set up a restraining order."

"If you think that's necessary," Emily smiled.

"Better safe than sorry. We'll talk to her doctors again once she completes the program."

-o-o-o-

"Thank you," Daniel said once they heard the ADA's car disappearing down the drive.

"You were right. She didn't deserve to suffer because of our lie."

"I'm sorry that you were hurt-"

"I lost a car, you were the one she almost killed," Emily blew off his apology.

"Amanda-"

"How would you have felt if I died the other night?" Emily abruptly asked.

"What kind of a question is that?" Daniel was instantly defensive.

"Your enemy went after you," she pointed out.

"I don't think she was just after me."

"It was because of you," Emily shrugged her shoulders.

"You're not doing this again," Daniel shook his head at her.

"Daniel, I'm going after Black even if you stay."

"Only place I'm going is to get some work done," he turned away from her and headed towards the stairs.

-o-o-o-

It was late that evening as Emily settled down in what had been Conrad's study with her laptop and the thumb drive containing Sara's admission interview at the center. The other computer had the security feeds running on it. The enlarged feed of Daniel sound asleep on the couch where he had been watching tv.

Anna had inquired after them twice today as she worked and had given them several worried looks. They weren't faking it as well as they had been because Daniel was continuing to be a stubborn ass and refused to leave. Emily wondered what it was going to take for him to understand his mortality.

He couldn't understand the life he was throwing away by staying. Emily would give anything for a second chance to leave with Aiden.

She put Daniel out of her mind. Keeping the feed of him up in case he awoke.

A few clicks later Sara's intake interview began to play.

"Just tell me in your own words what happened the other night," the therapist calmly spoke.

Sara let out a nervous laugh, "You mean when I ran my ex-boyfriend and his ex off the road?"

"Let's start when you first saw them," he prompted.

"I was running late so I was meeting my friends there."

Her silence prompted a question, "Did you see Daniel and Emily when you first arrived?"

"No," her head shook, "I went to go grab a beer, I was going back to my friends when I saw Danny."

"What were you thinking when you saw him?"

"That he looked happy. Huh. It was this odd moment. I wanted him to be happy, I was happy he had found someone, but I was angry...No, sad, that it wasn't me. That I listened to my ma instead of my heart. I didn't really see her at first, Danny was holding her close. I could just see her hair. Then when I could, I thought it was odd she looked like Emily. Like how could Danny ever love anyone that looked like that manipulative bitch. She was just tucked into his side like she didn't have a care in the world."

"Did something happen between you and Ms. Thorne in the past?"

"She's a lying, manipulative...just evil person. Danny was a really nice guy and she played him. She went after him because he was a Grayson and then when she realized he was still in love with me, she told him she was pregnant when she wasn't. He found out, but she wouldn't let him go. Then she called my mother. Ma," Sara shook her head, "Ma pretty much disowned me. She told me to go with her, I told her I was staying with Danny. Then she made me choose her or him. You should have seen the look on his face. That smug look on Emily's. Ma didn't forgive me, she still doesn't. Danny got his divorce, I wanted to see him, but Ma..." Sara sighed.

"Let's get back to that night."

"When he saw me he looked caught. Like he never did when Emily would see us together. I left. I didn't know what else to do."

"Then," the therapist once more prompted.

"He came after me. He was holding their sweaters together, they were white and gray. It was just so domestic. I thought it was some type of a scam. The Grayson money was gone, Emily was still rich, but those sweaters. Just how he'd been holding her. I wanted him to tell me it was a scam," Sara's expression fell.

"But he didn't."

"No," her head shook slightly. "He apologized for involving me in their issues." Sara's eyes closed and she took a breath, "like everything we had been together had just been a reaction to her." She paused, "He apologized for involving me. That I was exactly what my mom had told me. That he was using me to get back at her. She hurt him so he hurt her. That I was just what he used to make that happen. He had loved me though," Sara added.

"How did you end up back at the dinner?"

"I couldn't let him win, let her win. If I was nothing then they were nothing. I saw her waiting to the side for him. Always keeping track of him. I turned back after I reached my friends, expecting-"

"What were you expecting?"

"Her to be angry or grill him...That cold calculating face of hers. Instead he just had her enveloped in this hug."

"Keep going," the therapist encouraged when Sara once more stopped.

"I kept trying to have a good time. They just...They wouldn't stop. He just seemed to adore her. I kept waiting to see a smirk from her or a knowing look that she had won and I had lost."

"She didn't?"

"They were just so involved with each other, it's like I wasn't even there. Like I'd never been there."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Annoyed. That wasn't true. Danny had loved me and she had hated me because of it. Then I wanted them to know that they didn't matter to me, so I went over and then...Then their friend started going on and on about how they were Romeo and Juliet and how Danny..." Sara's head shook slowly and her eyes closed, "how he wanted to die with her than live without her." Sara wiped away her tears before opening her eyes again. "He didn't even call me after he got divorced. He had told me how much he loved me and how much he regretted ever letting me go and then he never even called or fought for me. I kept telling myself it was because of my family and that he let me go because he loved me. He hated her."

"What else happened?"

"That cold bitch finally crept out, I walked away. Danny stormed off. She went chasing after him. Then they were fighting and it was like my world finally turned rightside up. I left during the fireworks. I looked up the shooting on my phone. It had been in everything. I don't get the paper, probably haven't read one since I left Ma's. Stopped watching the news after everything happened with Daniel's family because I wanted to call and check in every time I heard about it. Called my mom from my car. I got an extended I told you so. She won't forgive me for it. I'm just this dumb whore who got taken in by a rich guy. I never belonged in his world." She paused. "I was trying to figure out what to do when everyone was coming out. I wanted my ma, but.." she shook her head. "My friends knew nothing about him. I didn't want to be alone. I was trying to figure out if I should meet up with them. Then I saw _them_ again. He was still attached to her. His arm around her shoulders. There was no one around to see it, but it was like he was claiming her. Like his friend had said that he couldn't bear to let her go. I sat in my car for awhile trying to understand it, but..." Her head shook once more. "When I realized I was behind his car, I couldn't stay behind them. I don't know what happened."

"Just tell me what you remember."

"I wanted to get away."

"That all?"

"I wanted him to see me maybe," Sara admitted.

"What did you want him to see?"

"That I didn't care. That he didn't matter to me."

"Are you sure?" The therapist questioned.

"I wanted to understand."

"What?"

"Exactly. What, why, how? That he would look at me and then something."

"What did happen as you went to pass them?"

Sara was quiet for a moment, "He was looking at her."

"And then-"

"People like that don't get happy endings. You don't get to do everything wrong and then end up happy. You don't get to use people and hurt them-"

Emily slammed her laptop shut.

-o-o-o-

It wasn't the impact of the flash drive being dropped on Daniel's chest that caused him pain, but the reaction his body had to it as it curled forward as he shot awake.

He couldn't hide the groan of pain or his hand flying towards his bruised ribs as he lay on the sofa. He shot Emily an annoyed look, but before he could say anything she spoke.

"She's still in love with you. You want her, don't be an idiot."

Daniel's confused gaze followed her as she walked out of the room as he found the flash drive on his stomach.

She feigned sleep as he walked into their room hours later reaking of alcohol, stripping by his bedside before dropping into bed.

-o-o-o-

"Why do you look so happy?" Jack asked walking into the yacht club as Nolan's last minute, 'Fuck it we don't have to go back to the city' gathering happened around them, the Friday following Labor day.

"They are about to implode," Nolan looked across the room to Daniel at the bar with Louise drinking and Emily with her back to them on the opposite side of the room.

"I sent my driver for them he said they looked like they were going to kill each other when he picked them up. Didn't speak the entire way here."

"How long have they been here?"

"An hour. Only words spoken was when Emily asked, if he thought that was a good idea. He smiled and took the shot."

"I saw Margaux earlier, she said she was going to stop by. I should text her not to."

"Oh please don't do that. Be a friend. Emily cannot get further wrapped up in this."

"I'm going to go talk to Emily."

"Tell her she looks beautiful."

Jack rolled his eyes and walked away.

-o-o-o-

"Margaux is on her way here. I think it would be a good idea if we left before she arrived." Emily spoke the words with no emotion as she arrived at Daniel and Louise sitting at the bar.

"Aww, but Danny and I are having fun. We'll be on good behavior I swear," Louise smiled at Emily. The quarter they had been using to play a drinking game twirled in her fingers.

"I'm sorry Louise," Daniel said with a smile, climbing off the bar stool, "when Emily says run, I'm supposed to run," he picked up his jacket from the stool next to him. "I don't fight, I just run."

"Daniel, don't."

"Everyone should always obey The Great Emily Thorne," Daniel smiled at Louise.

"You're going to cause a scene," Emily's jaw was tense.

"I'm pretty sure," Daniel smiled, "they've figured out things aren't always fantastic between us."

"I'm going home," Emily ignored him. "Goodnight Louise."

"You just can't stand it that I see you and I call you out on your bullshit." Daniel followed after her.

"Daniel seriously," Emily increased her gait.

"I see you, Em. The good, the bad, the ugly. I see you. And I am here fighting for you even when it's with you. I'm pretty sure half of them dream of that, but you just keep pushing me away."

"I wonder why?" Emily said keeping her voice calm, but unable to keep her mouth shut. She left the large room with Daniel still on her heels.

He easily kept up with her, his sprained ankle had only been a true inconvenience for a day or two, so the front door to the club didn't slam in his face as she would have liked for it to.

"You're not getting rid of me," he said as Emily looked a her phone for the time wondering how far away Nolan's driver had been when she texted him because he had said, 'Be right there' only he wasn't.

"Not going to stop me from trying," Emily didn't look at him only at the drive that held no escape.

Daniel forcefully turned her to him, "I am not going to stop fighting for you. I'm not fighting the world, I'm not fighting for a hurt little girl. I am fighting for you. I am not running."

"Why now?"

"I don't know. I spent my entire life thinking about fighting. Wondering what would have happened if I had fought. When I heard you and Kate. There wasn't time to think. To talk myself out of it."

"You have the time now."

He laughed lightly at her, "Too late. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to stop fighting for you. So maybe you could just ease up on fighting me about it because I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted."

Emily laughed slightly and Daniel's arms came around her.

"Why don't you go back in, you looked like you were having a good time."

"Only place I'm going is home with you," he kissed her softly, "although you're going to have to do all the work because I do not feel as I good as I felt on that bar stool."

She laughed slightly at him, "Not happening."

He grimaced.

"Car's here. Last chance to stay," she said stepping away from him.

His head shook slightly, "I'm with you."

She smiled as Nolan's driver came around to open the door, getting in first in deference to Daniel's injuries.

He grinned watching the simple navy dress creep up mid thigh, "Did I tell you that you look pretty tonight?"

"Still no Daniel," she smiled.

"Can't blame a guy for trying," he said climbing into the car after her.

-o-o-o-

"Hey," Jack smiled as he paused in Nolan's pursuit of finding out if there had been bloodshed outside.

"Hi," Margaux smiled back as she walked into the club. "No valet tonight?"

"Not enough people I think. How are you?"

"Regretting the fact that I can't drink and wondering why I didn't stay in with the pile of work I always have."

"I think that pile of work is a reason to be out," Jack smiled at her.

"You are probably right," she feigned a smile. "I just saw Daniel and Emily leaving. Have they not recovered?"

"I think they're just bruised and tired."

"I suppose I should count my lucky stars that I got out before Daniel drove me to try to kill him."

"You heard?"

"The Hamptons worst kept secret." Margaux smiled, "A lot gets back to you when you run a magazine."

"Come on," Jack said offering his arm, "let me buy you a club soda."

"The most tempting offer, I've had in awhile," she smiled and took his arm.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Apologies real life happened two Sundays ago. Hopefully the tiring aspect of it is over and this story will distract me from the remaining annoying aspects of it. :-P

Thanks for the reviews. I will do my best for less sap, until you know the next major life threatening thing comes up with them. :-D

The characters seem weird in this, I'm aware. I've had it sitting almost done since Sunday. I have to cave and post it. If anyone can figure out what's wrong with it, I'll revise. :-P

* * *

><p>Daniel Grayson no longer liked mornings.<p>

Mornings had once been the best part of his day.

Waking up with Emily alongside him. Anything had seemed possible. He always knew that getting out of bed was a risk, but there had always been the reassurance that at least she would be there when he climbed back in.

Mornings had still been his favorite part of the day when he realized they were falling apart. Mornings held the hope that he would wake before her. When she was still and quiet and by his side. The closest he knew he'd get to her. The day ahead of him only held the promise of a wall between them and the fear or hope that she wouldn't be in bed with him when he climbed back in.

He hadn't thought mornings could get worse than that until she was gone from it. When he awoke to a face he didn't recognize in the mirror, when he didn't even pretend to try to attempt to be something better. When everything in his day was lined up to be a fight. His mother, his father, his finances. Waiting to go to jail, waiting to be found out. Exhausting without end.

He hadn't realized what the feeling had been for a few days after the shooting. He had chalked it up to a near death experience. He woke up still unsure about the day, but eventually he started to realize he had begun to recognize himself again. That letter that had been in his pocket as he had acted on instinct. He understood then he was done hiding. He no longer dreaded waking up. Days became easier to face despite knowing they would be harder than days in the past.

"Daniel," her sharp tone let him knew the day would not be good. Kevin had told him to expect to sleep more than normal, what he hadn't realized at the time was that would once more destroy the best part of his day.

"What?" He answered, his voice full of antagonism as his eyes remained firmly closed because it was one thing to face her irritated voice, but another to actually face her. The vision of a future that had never been anything more than a cruel dream.

"We have guests coming in an hour. They're your friends. Get up."

"We have help." His eyes were still firmly shut.

"I gave them the weekend off because Anne has spent the last 3 days waiting for us to go all War of the Roses on each other and it's getting exhausting."

His eyes opened to narrow slits as if that would stop him from seeing her as she was, as she had been. "So no truce?" He'd known it seemed too good last night. Known that a few laughs and a goodnight that didn't end with her ordering him out of the house was too good to last.

"You know my opinion, I know yours."

"And you think your will is stronger than mine?" His eyebrows raised.

Hers raised back, "Well we do have history to back us up."

"Dear sweet Amanda," he said pushing himself up. "We have how Daniel dealt with Emily. You and I? That's still to be determined."

Her head tilted disbelievingly to the side.

"If we aren't going to have a truce. How about just for today you're only mad at me for the things I've actually done and not the one thing I won't do?" He stood. Clad only in a pair of gray boxer briefs, one side of his body still covered in bruises that were starting to fade from purple to yellow.

Her eyes didn't stray from his face because if they would they would betray her. "That's a pretty long list."

"Should keep you busy then," he smirked at her. "Just don't forget. I'm not going anywhere."

-o-o-o-

"So what am I doing?" Daniel asked once he reached the kitchen as Emily was organizing glassware onto a tray.

"There's fruit in the fridge, put it on a platter."

He opened the fridge door, "You mean the already cut up fruit on a platter."

"That would be it."

"Once more the fruit that is already on a platter you want me to move it onto a different platter."

"Yes Daniel."

"Why?"

"Because that's what people do." Emily refused to engage.

"By people like my mother, entertaining a business client, or throwing an actual party?"

"Or people that live in a mansion in Southampton."

"I really don't think either of us are the type of people that think that fruit-"

"Just put the damn fruit on the platter." Emily paused with napkins in her hand as she turned to him, "Oh I'm sorry. Did that violate your can't angry with things you won't do rule of the day?"

-o-o-o-

"I'm so glad you two are okay," Becca, Mark's wife announced as they walked in.

"Labor Day to remember," Emily gave a look, "thank you so much for that arrangement. Do you want me to take that?"

Becca waved off Emily's offer to take the pasta salad in her hands. "I wish we'd known you two were in the hospital before we went back to the city."

"Can you tell her it's weird to send a bouquet of fruit to people?" Mark said as he began to follow Emily towards the kitchen.

"We weren't here to bring them food," Becca gave him a look.

"I personally really liked the fruit on a stick," Daniel added.

"You can take the fruit off the stick and eat it with a fork," Becca commented.

"You change the fruit from the platter it comes on too, don't you?" Daniel questioned.

"Ignore him," Emily informed the other woman as they reached the kitchen.

"They make more work and then they complain," Mark gave Daniel a knowing look.

Daniel smiled as Emily glared at him.

Mark coughed and changed the subject, "So who was it the other night? A drunk driver, a teenager?"

"An ex girlfriend?" Emily added with a blatantly fake smile.

Daniel froze.

"Oh I'm sorry. Were we not telling people that?" The innocent act wasn't convincing, as Mark and Becca's eyes were wide.

"An ex girlfriend?" Becca softly questioned.

"Actually Daniel's ex mistress would probably be the better term since we were married the last time they were together." Emily continued to smile.

"So drinks?" Daniel turned to his friends with a smile.

"Champagne and orange juice are in the fridge," Emily said taking the pasta salad from Becca.

"I think I need something stronger."

"It's 10 am," she pointed out.

"You're right," Daniel nodded, "I should have started at 9. I'll make sure it's a double," he headed towards the door. "Mark?"

"You're driving," the blonde nodded at his wife before following Daniel out of the room.

"Do you want to cancel?" Becca asked as Emily put the salad in the fridge.

"Oh please," Emily said handing the bottle of orange juice to the still stunned Becca, "it's the end of summer." Emily shrugged and then shook her head, "I'm sorry. Dragging other people into our drama is what resulted in the ex-mistress that tried to kill us the other day."

"Well," Becca's smile was disarming, "plus side. Divorce now doesn't look amazing."

Emily laughed as she took the foil off the champagne, "Only because you didn't witness our marriage."

-o-o-o-

"What are you guys making?" Emily asked as she walked back inside the kitchen after taking the fruit out with Becca, leaving the other woman outside applying sunblock.

"Old fashions," Daniel smiled over, "they have fruit and are therefore a breakfast drink."

"Danny! Ems! This doesn't sound like a party!" Louise's voice called out.

"Fuck it." Emily gave up. "Make me one."

Daniel bit back a laugh and handed Emily his drink.

She took a swallow and slid an arm around his waist just before Louise and Nolan walked through the door.

"Glad to see you two made up," Louise smiled.

"Yay," Nolan added with obvious disdain.

"Louise, Nolan. Meet Daniel's friend, Mark," she took another sip.

"How is it?" Daniel asked as Mark and Louise discussed how they knew Daniel.

"It's good, did you want to-" Emily said turning.

He caught her with a quick kiss, "You can taste the sugar."

Nolan looked annoyingly on.

"Sugar. We should have French 75's," Emily adjusted the mimosa plans.

"I'll get the gin," Nolan happily turned and headed out of the room.

-o-o-o-

"Sure you're okay man?" Mark asked as Daniel stripped out of his shirt as they settled outside after several other of his Easthampton and Brooklyn friends joined the party.

"Be gentle with me," Daniel laughed knowing his left side was a frightening sight.

"Em have you been gentle with him?" Mark called out.

Emily looked over from where she was assembling the French 75's with Becca.

"So gentle, it's like she's not even touching me," Daniel's eyebrows lifted.

"Ouch," Mark winced. "That sucks," he said tearing into one of the boxes of pool inflatables that he brought. "You guys looked like you were in a pretty good place on Monday."

"Yea," Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "So what did you do? Buy out the store?"

"They were 50% off."

Daniel gave him a look and went to open a plastic bag with an inner tube.

"Can you actually do that?" Mark gave a look at Daniel's side.

"I think so." He paused, "I'll sit in case I pass out," Daniel smirked.

-o-o-o-

"So serious question," Louise draped herself on the lounge across from Daniel and Mark. "How many days did you smell like seafood?"

Daniel almost snorted and the beach ball he had been blowing up shot out of his mouth.

"Do I want to know?" Mark pondered.

"Danny and Emily do not have the most refined table manners," Louise smiled. "So?"

"Emily tried to get it out with a washcloth at the hospital," he shook his head, "butter is challenging."

"So until last night?" Louise grinned.

He laughed, "No I had a few very dignified days. Emily pretty much had to bathe me."

"That doesn't-"

Daniel stopped his friend, "Not fun when all of you hurts and you can barely move."

"Could have been worse," Louise drawled..

"It could have been Nolan," Emily smiled as she walked over.

"You're not going to let me keep any secrets today, are you?" Daniel smirked up.

"Probably not," Emily sat on the lounge next to him.

"It concerns me that torturing me makes you happy," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled and ate a strawberry off her plate.

He laughed and tossed a grape in his mouth.

-o-o-o-

"What are you doing?" Emily questioned as Daniel's arm slid around her waist, tapping on her side and he started to move to the music.

"Trying to have fun," Daniel moved in front of her, "remember that thing I think we might have been doing on Monday?"

"I'm not dancing with you," Emily said as she resisted the motion of Daniel's hands still on her waist trying to get her to move.

"Want to bet," he slid up close against her, Daniel's sheer size left her with no choice to move with her as he physically moved her, unless she wanted to make a noticeable scene.

"It isn't even noon."

"Yea, but life is short," Daniel continued his quest.

"Yours gets shorter by the minute."

He laughed down into her ear. "You know I think we both missed crucial steps in our development."

"Daniel."

"You have no idea how to just have fun do you?"

"Not a pro at it like you," she looked at him.

"I went from someone who was pretty much policed by his parents, to what a month trying to be on my own, to a super villain."

"Super is being pretty generous," her lips twitched up in a smile.

"I think that summer we were both just starting to realize there was more to life than how we'd been living it."

Emily continued to look at him.

"And then we let it go."

"If this is about us-" Emily began.

"It's about turning off your brain and just be here."

"With you?"

"With yourself."

She stopped, her head tilted and he prepared himself for a fight.

The song had changed seconds earlier, but they hadn't noticed until Becca was soon near, "Oh my god. I love this song." She was soon kicking up her heels near them to the peppy beat and melancholy lyrics.

"Are you drinking out of the bottle?" Daniel smiled over.

"The song came on while I was making a drink," Becca smiled and passed over the champagne bottle to Emily.

Emily laughed at Becca's enthusiastic dancing and took a few swigs before handing the bottle off to Daniel. Lasting only a few moments before joining Becca in dancing.

-o-o-o-

Daniel was walking over with Emily after Jack arrived with Ben and Carl. They could hear the introduction Jack made to one of Mark's friends that hadn't been over the last time Jack and Ben had stopped by. "Jack," he smiled, "my son Carl and my partner Ben."

"He's so cute, you guys are so lucky," the brunette in the tiny neon orange bikini said squatting next to Carl's stroller.

The laughter that burst out of Daniel was completely undignified and Emily paused to roll her eyes.

"Work." Jack amended his previous statement as the young woman looked at Daniel in confusion. "We're Southampton PD."

"Sorry?" Heather shrugged it off, "He is still insanely cute," she turned her attention back to Carl.

"My life," Daniel said throwing his arm around Emily's neck, "would have been so much easier if that was true."

"Just ignore him today," Emily once more rolled her eyes and gave a gentle shake of her head and his arm slipped off her back as she bent to Carl.

-o-o-o-

"Giving up on the fruit," Nolan noted as he approached Daniel, a few hours into the party, pouring the whiskey over ice.

"Wasting space in the glass."

"Hmm," was Nolan's entire response as he was pouring himself a glass of champagne as they both faced Jack and Emily who was holding Carl.

"What's going on with you and Louise?"

"She's fun."

"That she is," Daniel's head tilted, "until the crazy comes out."

"Not like I don't have experience with crazy."

Daniel gave a slight snort as he took another sip, still watching Emily and Jack.

"I like the new people. We certainly needed some fresh blood in this place."

"Haven't been enjoying the carousel ride of Southampton?"

"Oh it's been positively riveting," Nolan rolled his eyes and took a sip.

The burst of Emily's laughter focused them both on the trio ahead of them as Jack sprayed more of Emily than Carl with the sunblock.

"They're gonna be a happy family one day," Daniel commented as he took another long sip from his glass before walking away from Nolan. "Who's up for a game of cornhole?" Daniel called out as he headed towards the setup.

-o-o-o-

Emily was back in the water with Carl as a discussion about marriage, children and the family pressure was brought up around the pool by Elise and Peter, the other couple at the party. Becca laughed, "It makes no sense, Mark's mom two years ago thought we were too young get married and now she hasn't stopped asking about grandkids since Christmas."

"It's her friends," Mark shook his head, obviously exhausted by his mother.

"How is it her friends?" Emily asked as she was floating back with Carl in front of her enjoying the water.

Mark responded, "One gets a grandkid and then they all feel left out. Like a grandkid's a pair of Jordan's. I asked her if all of her friends jumped off a bridge would she? She told me she would if her grandchild was in the water."

The group laughed.

"Have you guys seriously not gotten this?" Becca questioned. "Does a divorce buy you time?" Becca was intrigued by the thought.

"I can't have kids," Emily smiled, "marriage didn't last, but that was the one wedding gift I couldn't return. Don't worry though. Victoria gets her grandchild because Daniel's ex girlfriend is due in 6 months?" Emily turned to Daniel.

"Just about," he was unable to disguise the tenseness in his body and jaw as he was frozen with his glass in hand.

"We need music," Louise chimed in and turned the iPod back on and everyone diverted their eyes as Emily continued to play with Carl in the water.

Nolan watched Daniel though. Waited to see the glass go flying or be downed in one swift gulp. It took several seconds for Daniel to do anything. Then he did the unexpected, he put the glass down. Nolan watched the facade that Emily had long been so good at come over Daniel. Watched the stress leave his body as he walked towards his friends with a smile and a laugh.

-o-o-o-

Daniel's eyebrows lifted as he reclined on the double lounger almost a half hour after Emily's revelation as she finally approached him with a bottle of water in her hand.

"Thank you," he said as she extended it to him.

"If you end up in the hospital from dehydration it might start looking suspicious."

He laughed before taking a sip.

She stretched out next to him.

"Calm before the next storm?" He put the bottle down.

"Ben looked like he was going to start asking questions," Emily rolled onto her side to curl into him.

"I dislike him more than Jack," he said placing a kiss on the top of her head.

She laughed into his chest.

His hand stroked the smooth skin of her waist, his thumb flicking along the unmarred skin, so unlike the opposite side. "I'm sorry," his whispered. "If I could take it back, if I could-"

"I know," she whispered back as she closed her eyes and sees him in that moment. There was horror in the second that followed her feeling the bullet and beginning to fall back. Horror and shock and somehow he got closer as she fell further. His reaction had made no sense compared to the person she had woken up to. She sometimes wondered if she had imagined it. Seeing his reaction to Sara, she knew she hadn't. He was right, it was horrible to know you were capable of pushing someone that loved you to that.

Daniel went quiet and simply held her to him.

-o-o-o-

"So," Louise said as Ben was pouring them new drinks, "I know that they were the ones in the car accident, but they're starting to give me whiplash."

Ben gave a quick glance over at them. Emily had rolled to her other side and was talking with Becca as her head rested on Daniel's arm. "They are something."

"I'm not quite sure how she behaves like this and gets the guy three times and I get locked up in various psychiatric institutions across the country."

Ben choked on the mojito he'd just poured.

"Whatever happened with Emily and Jack, rumor has it something went down to stop Daniel and Emily's first engagement. We all know what happened with the marriage."

"I don't know. He's never mentioned it. You know Emily doesn't really strike me as the type of person to fake a pregnancy to keep a guy."

"Well take it from someone who has been on the receiving end of Emily's warnings to stay away from Daniel. I'd believe it."

"Hmm," Ben said once more looking over as he chewed a piece of melon.

-o-o-o-

"It is not summer anymore," Emily said as she shivered hanging onto the inner tube Daniel was floating in.

"Technically it is," Mark said hanging off his own float.

"You boys enjoy your technicalities, I'm going to enjoy my towel," she grinned at them as she let go and began to float back.

"Wuss," Mark called out.

"Em," Daniel followed.

Her hand went up in a wave as she headed out of the pool.

Daniel's eyes trailed her as she dried off and then wrapped herself in a towel.

"Em," he gave one final pleading as she started to walk away from the lounge still in her towel.

"We're out of mojitos," she nodded at the pitcher, "you guys want anything?"

"I'll help," Daniel said trying to get off the tube without hurting himself.

"Oh come on," Mark splashed him as they had been the only ones left in the pool.

"Sorry man," he shrugged and began to swim to the side.

-o-o-o-

Emily's lips curved up as she walked past Jack as he was talking to Madison, the redheaded school teacher from Brooklyn that they had gone to the bar with the previous month. Carl was asleep in his stroller next to them.

It was nice.

Normal.

What Jack's life would be like without her in it.

-o-o-o-

Daniel's arms went around her as she was at the sink washing off the limes.

"No one's around," Emily pointed out keeping her body stiff.

"Even better."

"Not interested."

"I am just here trying to be a good boyfriend and suck up to my emotionally distraught girlfriend."

"Really?" Emily turned to face him.

"You chose this route for today. You coming off as emotionally unstable and completely obsessed with me was just a pleasant side effect," he grinned at her.

"I'd have to be to keep going back to you."

"Now that I'm here, what do you want me to do?"

"Cut the limes?" Emily said walking away.

"Yes dear," he grinned as he grabbed the strainer out of the sink.

They settled behind the island next to each other as Emily pressed the limes he cut.

"So it's driving you completely insane that we were happy on Monday."

Emily barely looked over.

"It was a good day and you're not supposed to have good days. Definitely not with me."

Her head tilted and she looked at him, "Okay you're just being annoying now."

"This feels good and it's driving you insane," the limes were forgotten and his hands skimmed along her body.

"We have a backyard full of people," she continued pressing the limes for juice doing her best to ignore him.

"They're outside," he continued and moved behind her. "We're like a broken in pair of shoes. You want to get rid of them, you know they're not pretty, but they feel good," his breath was warm upon her neck.

"Until they give you athlete's foot."

He laughed and pulled her closer to him. "Life is short," he repeated. "I'm not the bad guy, I mean I am a bad guy, but not **the** bad guy."

She laughed slightly at him.

"The past is never going to change, but we get to decide how we want to live now and I really don't want to end up hanging off a chandelier with you."

She laughed again and didn't fight him as he pushed her wet hair off to the side to place a kiss on her neck or as he turned her to him.

They both stopped and turned moments later as they heard the kitchen door open.

"I hate you," Daniel said without pause seeing Ben.

"Sorry?"

"Ignore him," Emily smiled.

"We're out of propane," Ben shared why he had been the only brave one to venture into the kitchen after Daniel had gone after Emily.

"I'll get it," Daniel nodded, kissed Emily's cheek and headed towards the door.

"Need any help?" Ben questioned still uncomfortable being in the room.

"Want to muddle the mint while I finish with the limes?"

"I will if you tell me what that is," he nodded and walked towards her.

"Smash them with the wooden spoon?"

"I should be able to handle that," he smiled as she set up the pitcher for him.

"Thanks for inviting me," Ben said as the silence grew uncomfortable, "after the other day-"

"You were just trying to be a friend."

"You don't really seem like the kind of woman that would-"

"I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of," Emily shrugged.

"But Daniel-"

"I don't know how to trust people or be all the way honest," she focused on the press going down onto the lime.

"But-"

"A lot of the mess, I made myself. Daniel doesn't get all the blame as much as I wish he did."

"So you two are really going to try to work it out?"

"Story isn't over yet," she shrugged.

"Hopefully it has a better ending than last time," he gave her a small smile.

"If these were done I would so cheers to that," she returned his smile lightening the mood

-o-o-o-

"Thanks for helping," Daniel said as they cleaned up by the pool.

"Never clean unless I'm drunk," Mark smiled as he sat on a float trying to deflate it.

Daniel laughed.

"There's something weird between Emily and Louise," Mark finally stated the thought that had been nagging him for hours.

"There are a lot of weird things about Louise," Daniel said tossing a half eaten burger into a garbage bag as he stacked the plate. "Weird how?"

Mark gave Daniel a look, "Marking her territory."

Daniel laughed, "Do not ever let Emily hear you saying that if you enjoy peeing while standing up."

"So you slept with her?"

"Southhampton is a very small place."

"So you slept with her."

Daniel laughed, "Yea I did."

"You know your life would probably be a lot easier if you didn't sleep with people besides Emily."

Daniel laughed again at his drunk friend who was looking up at him from a semi deflated yellow float as he crushed a dolphin in his arms. "The problem is that is dependent on Em sleeping with me. What I need to do is move across the country or to a new country when this is over."

"Problem, you're gonna have a kid. I'm guessing your ex lives here."

"She does," Daniel frowned. Even if he wanted to run, he couldn't.

"Think positively man," Mark nodded as he furthered his death grip on the dolphin. "How did you get Emily to take you back this time?"

"Showed up at her door with a bag and told her I was moving in."

Mark blankly stared at him. "That worked?"

"I slept in the guest room for a few days," Daniel grinned.

"You guys are odd," Mark shook his head. "You guys are going to be my new favorite couple friends. Gonna make me look great. Can you fuck up really big at Christmas?"

Daniel laughed again.

-o-o-o-

Daniel kept his eyes peeled on the wall that contained the shower head as the water beat down upon him.

Emily had showered first and if he had any speck of self preservation he would have showered in another bathroom. Instead now he took a quick shower as Emily finished her routine in the bathroom.

He knew exactly how the routine would go. She would comb out her hair once more after putting in some product, put it in a bun because they weren't going anywhere it needed to be done for. She would wash her face again, it had been an oil before she showered, but now she would use a cleanser and then wipe off anything else with a little pink pad she always had in a bag when she came home from getting a facial. It made her face taste oddly delicious, she had told him once it had cranberries in it.

She was the only one who tasted so good after washing her face.

After that it would be moisturizing her body. He debated turning the water to cold.

He was starting to realize he was a masochist.

Sure enough as he stepped out of the shower with the towel wrapped around his waist she had one leg up on the toilet as she applied moisturizer to it. Clad only in a towel, hair up in a bun, her face still glistening with product. "What do you want to do for dinner?" Emily questioned paying him no real attention.

"I don't think 10 minutes went by without me eating something."

"So nothing?" Emily looked up.

"Maybe a sandwich later, why did you want to go out?"

"No," her head shook and she switched legs, "I was just trying to figure out the rest of the night."

"I have one suggestion."

She looked over and smirked. "How are you feeling?" Emily nodded at his ribs.

"I could be feeling better," his eyebrows lifted.

Her head tilted and she gave him a look.

"Good," he nodded and watched her lower her leg so she was now standing straight, "those inflatables were probably better than any of the breathing exercises they had me doing."

"Good," she continued looking at him as he continued to try his best to not take in the sight of her body. It was a single finger movement that brought her towel down.

He did his best to not eagerly respond, "Did you want to talk first?"

"Are you going to leave?" Emily once more questioned.

"No."

"Then no," she smirked and took a step forward.

"So just," Daniel shrugged.

"I don't particularly feel like hanging off a chandelier."

He couldn't resist taking a step and meeting her, one arm going around her back to pull her into him and the other going to cup the side of her face. "I don't know, I bet we could figure out something comparable, but more enjoyable. Probably not for a few days though, I'm still pretty sore."

"You could just lay there," Emily gave him a smile as she easily undid his towel as well.

"No, trust me, pretty sure being still is not going to be possible," he pulled her even closer to prove it.

* * *

><p>So "guest" posted about a shower scene after I had written the mention of Emily bathing Daniel. I cracked up reading that review because really my scene was not at all what was wanted. :-P<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Sorry the tedious real life stuff is resulting in a lack of time to write this...And me totally falling asleep only thinking about it instead of writing. Direct link between my brain and computer please. :-P **Thanks for reading guys! **

Comment back to "Guest:" bathroom was part of a planned arc that we saw start the week before (Lol. It's nice when things aren't as obvious as I thought they were). After Louise's party, Emily is thinking about Daniel in the shower and the familiarity she couldn't allow, then on Labor Day Daniel walks out of the shower to see Emily doing all the normal bathroom things she had been refusing to do because of that familiarity... He wasn't just standing there smiling because she was in a towel, well not only because she was in a towel. So it was the place to bring them back to where they had been on Labor Day (and probably further than that) without them talking about it. Daniel suffering through the thought of a familiar Emily (just out of his reach) and Emily being able to let go of more than just her towel without having to talk about it. Lol. Your review was fabulous though because I saw it and then I reread the last two chapters, trying to find where I wrote the scene where Daniel called out his smelly hair and Emily tried to wash it out at the hospital. I need to make notes as I write scenes for the follow up scenes I mean to include.

* * *

><p>There are days when she awakens feeling as if she's in a time warp.<p>

The smell of him.

The feel of him.

Before she opens her eyes, she has no idea where in time she'll be.

It had been horrible to wake up next to him last year. To wake up and realize he wasn't the person she had once thought he was. To wake up and realize that sweet and slightly dorky boy had been a figment of her imagination.

It had been worse this past week than it ever had been in the past.

Realizing he hadn't been a figment of her imagination.

It was worse to realize that she wanted to wake up and be next to the boy who was unaware of it all.

The further she went down the rabbit hole of revenge the louder her mistakes screeched at her. Every loss, every setback had only driven her further down it though.

The feel of his chest beneath her head, his stomach under her hand, his breath against her hair. It's a quiet reminder of her first mistake.

The enormity of everything that followed threatens to crush her.

She does her best to quell the panic desperate to erupt within her and not leap out of bed. To buy her time to readjust to her life. She pushes up on her arm, trying to keep her movements slow and controlled.

She freezes as his hand goes to her back.

"Manda," he murmurs without opening his eyes.

_Manda_ not Em_. _She doesn't say anything, she can't.

His eyes open, just barely. "Stay," his lips slightly lift as his hand moves gently across her back.

She shoves everything down. "You've spent enough mornings in bed. Kevin says you're fine."

"I could be better," he pulls her closer to him.

"Your ankle could be better. I want to get out there before it gets too hot."

"I don't really think my ankle's up to running with you," he gave her a skeptical look, edged with early morning amusement at her.

"That isn't going to change staying in bed," she smirks and quickly removes herself from his arms. She's out of the bed before he can react.

He pushes up and gives a slow smile.

"You should be used to me running circles around you," she gives him another smirk as she grabs her robe.

"I should," he says smiling to himself as she heads to the bathroom.

-o-o-o-

David is sitting on the stairs as Daniel is walking back up along the beach as Emily is running further down it.

"Morning," Daniel says approaching the house.

"Morning," David nods at the mug of coffee and glass of water next to him, "I didn't know what you needed."

"A pillow," Daniel nodded before leaning down to get the glass of water.

"No one told me Amanda's a drill sergeant."

Daniel gave a low laugh as he went to sit on the stairs, "I didn't get the memo either."

"You scared her last week," David nodded, but didn't look at Daniel only the waves, "your mother as well."

"I noticed."

"I don't think Amanda will deal as well with you dying as I hoped."

Daniel laughed again.

David's lips lifted up.

"I'll do my best to avoid that then."

"She noticed you're not behind her," David commented seeing Emily return up the beach.

"It's too early for this."

"It's barely even 7," David noted.

"On a Sunday," Daniel added.

"Would have thought you two would have slept in. You had guests all yesterday."

"We went to bed pretty soon after they left," he explained their early rising.

David turned to Daniel, "I didn't need to know that."

Daniel bit back his laugh.

"Morning," Emily said with a smile as she slowed her run as she approached them.

"Morning sweetheart," David said looking up at her.

Daniel leaned forward to offer her his water glass.

"Were you two having a good chat?" Emily questioned before taking a sip.

"We were discussing how unnatural it is to be this active this early on a Sunday," Daniel didn't move from the step.

"Day of rest," David nodded.

Emily rolled her eyes, "If anyone here were religious or worked a nine to five job, I'd completely agree."

"Come sit," Daniel nodded at her, "enjoy the waves with us."

Emily gave Daniel a look.

"Did you have a good time with your friends yesterday?" David awkwardly asked his daughter. He had spent years imagining being reunited with her. His dreams hadn't prepared him for the reality.

"Yea," Emily nodded, "we needed that."

"I'm glad you're living your life," David looked at the woman his little girl had grown up to be. "I know that everything with Malcolm Black hasn't been easy to deal with, but it'll be a lot easier for me to figure it out if I know it's not stopping you from living your life."

"Dad, we can't just wait for him to come after us again. Daniel and I-"

"I know," David said completely focused on his daughter. "I will not let him hurt you."

"No one can make a promise like that Dad," Emily told him from experience.

"I will find a way," David promised.

"Well isn't this cozy," Victoria said coming to the door.

Daniel flinched. "Good morning Mom," he said without turning.

"Morning Victoria," Emily gave a fake smile as Victoria pushed open the door.

David turned, "You're up early."

"Good thing, I finally have proof Daniel is indeed alive."

"I did text you," Daniel turned back.

"One word responses. Hardly proof of your existence."

"I'm sorry, you felt slighted Mom," Daniel said without blinking.

"No you aren't. Your _girlfriend_ had me banned from the hospital after you were nearly killed."

"So you're mad I wanted Amanda by my side and not you?"

"I am your mother Daniel," Victoria's jaw tensed.

"Does this mean you're still upset that you gave me life and I almost gave it up for her?" Daniel got up to stand next to Emily.

"Stop making it sound like we're in a Greek tragedy," Victoria crossed her arms.

Daniel gave her a sad smile, "No other word to describe our family, but a tragedy."

Emily's arms wrapped around his as she leaned into him.

"It doesn't have to be that way Daniel," Victoria gave her son a soft smile.

"Trust me, I'm working on that," he gave a smile down at Emily.

"That being said I think Daniel and I need breakfast."

Daniel sighed and looked up to the sky, "Thank god I thought you were going to tell me I had to run again."

"Only to the house this time," Emily smiled.

Daniel's head fell and he whimpered, "You know that's a hill right?"

Emily laughed at him. "Bye Dad," she smiled, but didn't risk leaning to give him a kiss goodbye in case there was a long range lens on him instead he stood and took the glass out of hands, giving her hand a quick squeeze. "Victoria."

"Amanda, Daniel," Victoria forced a smile.

"Have a good day sweetheart," David smile at her. "Good luck," he nodded at Daniel.

Daniel laughed, "Thanks."

"Come on," Emily pulled at the arm she held before letting go as she took off running.

He laughed again as he took off after her.

-o-o-o-

Daniel sat at the Thai restaurant's bar with a glass of water trying to absorb the article he was reading on his phone and failing miserably.

"Daniel," Margaux's voice was clipped as she spoke his name.

It shot Daniel to attention and he turned to see Margaux next to Jack and Carl asleep in his stroller. "Uh hi."

"Well this is unexpected," Margaux failed at hiding her discomfort.

"That it is," Daniel nodded.

"Is Emily joining you?" Jack's eyes were on the bouquet of flowers on the bar next to Daniel's glass.

"No, I'm picking up, it should be out soon. How are you feeling Margaux?"

"Wonderful," Margaux smiled, "yourself? I heard about your _accident_."

Daniel flinched slightly, "I'm fine."

"Glad to hear it," Margaux nodded uncomfortably and gave a relieved smile to the approaching hostess, "two and a high chair."

"One minute," the other woman smiled and left them.

"One minute of small talk," Daniel gave her an easy smile, "are we going to be able to handle this without the lawyers?"

"I am hormonal and hungry Daniel and I no longer find you charming, so please do not while we are in public."

"Margaux, we have been friends since we were children and we're-"

"Yes," Margaux cut him off, "going to have a child together. Trust me I still aware of this Daniel."

"So how late did everyone stay," Jack said trying to break the tension between them, "Louise didn't show any signs of slowing when I was leaving."

Daniel smiled slightly, "Nolan took her to city."

"Last night?" Jack's brow narrowed in disbelief.

"Yea," Daniel gave a shake of his head, "they went to bed two hours after I got up."

"Well," Jack nodded, "it's official. I'm old. That sounds horrible."

Daniel laughed, "I'm pretty sure Nolan's at least part cyborg."

"Only way to explain it," Margaux gave an attempt at a smile. "Your food's here," Margaux nodded at the young man walking with Daniel's food.

"Try not to look so excited, he still needs to get the iced teas," Daniel said before thanking the man that put the bag on the counter.

"Think you have enough food?" Jack nodded at the bag brimming with containers.

"You know Em and Thai food," Daniel gave a shake of his head.

"You know," Jack frowned, "actually I don't."

"Never offer to share," Daniel shook his head, "I learned that the hard way."

Jack laughed, "Noted."

"You're free of me," Daniel smiled at Margaux and handed a tip to the young man that put the iced teas on the bar, "enjoy dinner."

"Night Daniel," Jack nodded.

"Do say hello to Emily for us," Margaux smiled.

-o-o-o-

Emily gave a look at the flowers as she came down the stairs after hearing Daniel call out as he entered the house. "Are those for me?"

He gave a side smile at them, "Little for you, more for Anne."

"They're wilting in the food," Emily said leaning to take them out of the bag, "actually. You can put these in water and I'll get the plates," Emily swapped the flowers for the food.

-o-o-o-

Emily sat in the kitchen behind her laptop as Anne cheerfully cut and rearranged the flowers, Daniel had hastily shoved in a vase last night.

"What are you up to?" Daniel walked in, dressed in a suit ready for a meeting.

"Returning emails to vendors," Emily sighed, "I think I need to find a new caterer for the fundraiser."

"Told you we should have stayed in bed," he smiled at her as he poured himself a fresh cup of coffee.

Emily rolled her eyes, "What time is your meeting?"

"11."

"I'm going to have to go to the city this week to deal with all this."

"When do you want to go?" Daniel asked sitting across from her.

"You don't have to come with me."

"You're the one that wanted to stay in the Hamptons, the last thing you get to do is leave me here. We haven't been to the city in three weeks."

"I don't want to stay over. I just want to go in and-"

"We'll fly in. You can meet with everyone, we can get dinner and fly back." He smiled across at her, "Think about it dinner without Nolan and Louise or my mother unexpectedly showing up."

Emily laughed and pushed back her hair as she opened another email.

Daniel's phone buzzed.

Emily looked up as Daniel groaned. "What's wrong?" She questioned.

"Patrick's back in town."

"Your brother?"

"Half," Daniel shot her a look.

"He texted you?"

"My mother."

"I need to prepare Nolan."

"Patrick and Louise. This would be a lot more interesting if it was on tv and not our life."

Emily laughed and stood.

He leaned forward and caught her hand, "Run away with me."

"Your mother would find us," Emily smiled down and gave him a quick kiss before leaving to go call Nolan in private.

"Anne," Daniel turned as Emily left the room, "is your family sane?"

"No family is sane, some just hide it better," she smiled at him.

-o-o-o-

"Sissy," Patrick smiled as Emily opened the door, early that evening.

"What do you want Patrick?"

"Why are you opening your own door?" Patrick questioned with a frown as he walked in.

"The staff has left for the day," Emily braced herself for an attack.

"No wonder you and my mother don't get along Amanda."

Emily froze.

"Seeing as we're practically family once more. I just wanted to stop by and give you and Daniel my best wishes. I know we all didn't get off on the right foot-"

"What the hell do you want?"

"I'm not your enemy, I'm trying-"

"You're Victoria's son."

"So is that one if I'm not mistaken," Patrick pointed up at Daniel on the balcony.

"Patrick," Daniel said heading for the stairs, "this is no longer the family house. If you're looking for Victoria-"

"Pretty sure he already found her," Emily said not taking her eyes off Patrick.

"Then what do you want?" Daniel practically jogged down the final stairs to reach Emily's side.

"He had a little talk with your mother," Emily didn't look at Daniel as his arm went around her, keeping her eyes trained on Patrick.

"Am I not supposed to know you're practically my..." he nodded at Daniel, "our sister? Convoluted family tree we have."

"What are you talking about?" Daniel did his best to keep his composure.

"The giant secret Nolan was keeping was your wife. So Mom tells me we're keeping this a secret because someone is after your father?" Patrick looked at Emily. "Now is this someone we should all be worried about."

"No because I'm going to kill you before he can," Daniel gave his half brother a smile.

"Daniel," Emily held onto his arm.

"This," Patrick's finger waggled between them, "is very different from last year."

"What do you want Patrick?" Emily once more repeated.

"I was just curious," he smiled, "when Mom told me it just didn't seem possible. Not the Amanda Clarke thing that actually makes total sense. I'm happy for you both."

They both continued to look at him.

"I know we didn't get off to the best start, but I'd like to try again. We are after all family."

"If you so much as breathe the name Amanda, I will-"

Patrick stopped Daniel's threat, "Whack job after David. Trust me. I got it. Your secret's safe with me."

Daniel began to threaten again, "If you-"

"This has been fun, but I only had a few minutes. Previous engagement," Patrick smiled.

"With whom?" Emily glared.

"Louise Ellis, I believe you're acquainted with her. Invited me to dinner with her and Nolan," Patrick smiled. "We should all do dinner soon," Patrick smiled back as he opened the door.

They stood there in silence following his departure.

"Please tell me you have a plan?" Daniel questioned with his arm around Emily.

"They all currently involve killing your mother," Emily continued looking at the door.

"At the moment, I might beat you to it," Daniel said before attempting a calming breath, it failed. "No time like the present." He headed for the front door.

-o-o-o-

"What's wrong?" David questioned opening the door.

"Mother would you like to take this one?" Daniel said walking into the house with Emily behind him.

"What great travesty have I committed now?" Victoria crossed her arms, "I could understand your behavior if you were a teenager Daniel, but you're almost 30."

"You told Patrick about Emily being Amanda?"

Emily watched her father's eyes go wide with a lethal rage.

Victoria didn't notice, she was focused on Daniel. "I know you have difficulties accepting my relationship with Patrick, I really wish you would just give him a chance-"

"Amanda staying Emily is the only chance she has at being safe and you told him," Daniel quickly retorted.

"Obviously I told him before I was aware of Malcolm Black and I told your brother-"

"Why," David was tense, "didn't you tell me you told him?"

"Patrick is a good child. I thankfully have one child that listens to me."

"He's such a good child, he stabbed Nolan last year when Victoria was trying to get information on me," Emily informed her father.

"Well loyalty and poor impulse control seem to be side effects of foster care. I would have thought you would be sympathetic to that Amanda," Victoria turned her focus to Emily.

"Victoria!" David snapped.

"I really do not understand why everyone is so worked up over this. Why would I not tell my child this information?" Victoria turned to David.

"You didn't tell me," Daniel pointed out.

"Well considering what you did with the information can you blame me?"

"I will talk to him Amanda and make it clear-"

Victoria stopped David, "You will not threaten my child."

He turned to her, "Your actions have threatened mine."

-o-o-o-

"Nolan," Louise smiled as she walked above deck the following morning to see her friend. Her eyes hidden behind large glasses, her hangover intensifying in the sun. She hoped for bloody marys as she was expecting gossip regarding Patrick, however she froze as she saw his cold expression.

"It was so simple, I thought no one would be that obvious," he spoke more to himself than her.

"What are you talking about Nolan?"

"You are not dumb Louise, please stop acting like you are," his expression was tired because he was. He was tired of always falling for it. No one as smart as him should make this many misjudgments in his personal life.

"Did something happen with Patrick last night?"

"No this would be regarding the other son."

Louise frowned, "Are we talking about Danny? I swear I haven't made a single-"

"You didn't create a fake facebook profile and send a friend request to several of Sara's friends."

"Of course not. Danny has made his intentions regarding Emily very clear. Have I made a single attempt-"

"No you needed someone who had already gotten between them before because you knew you couldn't. What? Get him while he's broken down and weak? Margaux didn't give you enough time last time, did she? And he was angry at you because of her."

"You are being paranoid Nolan," Louise smiled, "that's normally my job."

"You deleted the account," Nolan nodded, "but that didn't delete the very public trail of Samantha Brown becoming friends with several of Sara's friends. It wasn't that hard to unfreeze the account and track it back to you."

She was caught, she had known it from the start, it had been instinct to try to fight it. "It was a momentary lapse. Before I knew Emily."

"The Margaux thing..." Nolan shrugged. "I could definitely let that go, but you almost got Ems killed."

"I didn't mean for anything like that to happen."

"That doesn't change that it did happen!" Nolan stood as he yelled.

Louise backed away in fear.

"You almost killed them."

"I didn't..." Louise's eyes filled with tears. "When I saw them out," her head shook, "how you talked about them. How Emily warned me away from him..."

"What Louise?" Nolan sighed.

"I like her," the tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally fell. "I didn't know what they were when I invited them."

"You mean a couple because I'm pretty sure you were aware of that," Nolan held in his sigh.

"Ems is still rich, Danny isn't. She faked a pregnancy to get him to marry her," Louise defended herself.

"The guy still proposed twice."

"I didn't get that. Then honestly Nolan, how the hell was I supposed to know she'd run them off the road?"

"Says the woman that locked Daniel's previous girlfriend in a sauna."

Louise said nothing.

"How did you know about Sara?" Nolan questioned her.

"Why does it matter?" Louise asked in defeat realizing that just like with Daniel she couldn't compete with Emily for Nolan.

"You know why."

"I knew that's all that really matters, I knew and I brought them there and we know what happens after that."

"How did you find out about Sara?"

"I asked around," Louise tilted her head at him, finding strength within herself.

"Asked who."

"Just people."

"People who knew about a girl Daniel was dating five years ago?"

Louise said nothing.

"Just tell me who told you."

"Nolan, I _am_ telling you. It was a couple different people. They talked about ex girlfriends. It was an Ashley and Sara. Ashley is currently in Malibu and I didn't think Danny would agree to a trip."

Nolan sighed, "She doesn't care about you. She never will." He stared at her for a moment, his lips lifting up slightly. "You know for a girl who wants a family. You..." He shook his head and walked away from her.

She stood still for a moment as he went to get off the boat, "Nolan," called out after him.

He turned.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"Frankly my dear-" his lips twitched up, "you know the rest." He walked away and Louise collapsed down onto a chair.


End file.
